Harry Potter and the Green Flame Torch
by The Red Dragons Order
Summary: FINISHED 6th year prequel to the Saga. School, Sea Witches, annoying Agents, Vampires, The Hidden Light, Royal Eagles, griffins, Avalon, Excalibur and the Green Flame Torch. 'Yesterday was today was tomorrow' Graffiti
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Here's the first chapter of Harry's 6th year. Hope you like it and please review. I advice you to read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix first. Both these stories are prequels to the Saga of the Red Dragons Order 1, 2 and 3.  
  
-Chapter One-  
  
'That was a complete waste of time. Those bloody Death Eaters only talked about how big and great their goddamned 'Lord' was. How in heavens name did I let you convince me to go there?'  
  
'Well, I recommended it, and you didn't have anything else to do so-'  
  
'Oh shut up.'  
  
'My someone's grumpy today.'  
  
Harry was on his way back home to England. It was a week into the summer, and he had been checking out a pub in Greece at the voice's recommendation. The blasted thing had told him that he'd be able to find out something either about Voldemort, or other terrorists if he went there. So he listened to the bloody thing inside his head, and had been sitting at the pub for almost 24 hours. And he hadn't heard anything that could help in the fight against Riddle. No wonder he was angry as hell.  
  
He walked up the street and went into a deserted alley filled with trash. He silently said the incantation for apparating and readied himself for the now-familiar feeling of being ripped apart then put together again. Instead of the expected feeling, Harry felt like he was being hit with ten Cruciatus curses at the same time. He bit his teeth together and fell to his knees. What in the seventh hell was going on?!  
  
'Voice! Do you know anything about this? Voice!!!' Harry didn't get an answer. The annoying thing inhabiting his head had picket a fine time to leave it. The pain was getting worse by the second, and black spots began to dance in front of his eyes. Harry tried to pick himself together and get off the ground, with his unnaturally sharp senses he could hear, feel and smell several dangerous someone's coming closer. He managed to get to one knee, all the time clutching his stomach where the pain was worst. His eyes closed as another wave of pain hit him, quickly followed by yet another. 'What the hell is going on here! All this pain can't be caused by the apparation ward. Who put the ward up anyways?'  
  
"Faint for heavens sake!" a voice hissed. "How much pain can a human being take?"  
  
"It hurts just to watch him." Another one said, terror evident in the tone of the voice.  
  
"Well, Madisa did say that he was a tough guy. Wait, I think he's finally blacking out." The first voice replied.  
  
Harry forced himself to open his eyes. He met the brown, concerned gaze of the young man who jumped when he saw the jewel-blue eyes glaring at him. Harry growled like the animal whose blood was running through his veins, showing off the unnaturally sharp canine teeth. The brown-haired man in front of him gazed at him in wonder, then he looked away as another, older person stepped into Harry's vision. The older man glared at him as if he was a Death Eater, raised his wand and said a word that Harry couldn't hear. A second later blessed darkness surrounded him and every muscle in his body relaxed.  
  
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Harry groaned and turned over. The bed was soft and warm. He snuggled deeper into it, but before he could begin to fall back asleep, his mind started working overtime. He couldn't remember going back to bed last night, heck the last thing he remembered was going out of that little Wizarding pub in Greece, going into that deserted alley and the...  
  
...pain. Horrible pain, worse than the Cruciatus curse! His eyes flew open and he sat up and looked around. He was sitting in a big bed that reminded him of the ones at Hogwarts. The room wasn't exactly big, but enough for a bachelor. Opposite the bed there was a large mirror, it went from his torso and up to the ceiling, covering the wall from one side to the other. There was a fireplace in the left side of the mirror and two chairs and one table in front of the fireplace. To Harry's immediate right there was a shelf filled with books upon books waiting to be read. Beside the shelf there was a wardrobe. Where in heavens name was he? Harry looked down on the bed again. The sheets were pale-blue with a golden phoenix that flew here and there, from one corner to the other. Well, that explained it then. Madisa had been right. The Order of the Phoenix would hunt him down now matter what it cost.  
  
Harry shook his head and stood up from the bed. He was dressed in black, light, soft silk; pants and a button-up shirt. He quickly checked the outfit with wand-less Elf-magic for any spells that could make other people hear his thoughts or implant dreams in his head. There was none. Good, he didn't need to care about that too. He quickly walked over to the wardrobe and found robes upon robes, some pants, shirts, T-shirts, socks and other things. The only two things that bothered him was that every piece of clothing was hexed with complicated Tracking spells, Listening spells and other spells of the same kind. The other thing was that everything was either white or light-blue. And everything had a golden phoenix flying around from one corner to the other.  
  
Harry growled in annoyance and closed the wardrobe doors. Blue really wasn't his colour, and he didn't want to have that damned phoenix flying around on him as if it was guarding him. He didn't want to be marked as a lifeless thing that belonged to the bloody Order of the Phoenix. Harry made his way around the room. There was only one door in the whole room. He hurried over and opened it, only to sigh in disappointment. The thing led to a clean bathroom. And guess what kind of colours it was in there and what kind of birds flew around in circles like maniacs. Yep, you got it! Light-blue and hundreds of golden phoenixes.  
  
'Tasteless.' Harry thought to himself as he closed the door and made his way back to the bed and sat down. 'The bloody Order doesn't have to torture Death Eaters to make them talk. All they have to do is bore them to death with blue upon blue and a golden phoenix acting like a complete idiot.'  
  
Harry leaned back on the pillows. What could the Order have done to him while he was unconscious? Take some of his blood? That wouldn't help them, the DNA would change every few seconds. Operate a Tracker into him? Harry sent his magic through his body, systematically searching for something that shouldn't be there, be it Muggle or magical, but there was nothing.  
  
He went on to check the room itself. Every thing in the whole room was charmed to pick up on everything he said or did, and to warn whoever was head of this place if Harry escaped. Harry's calculating gaze was constantly drawn back to the mirror right in front of him. There was something about it that felt wrong. First of all, why would the Order of the Phoenix put a mirror in his room? Second, there was something in the back of his mind that nagged him, something that had to do with a Muggle movie he had once seen at the Dursley's.  
  
Harry slowly stood up and walked closer to the thing. If it was what he thought it was, breaking out of this place should be easier than snapping your fingers. He pretended to be trying to make his short, spiky hair lie down, and acted completely ditzy. At the same time he used a dwarf-spell on himself that could see through everything, event he thickest of stone. That was how the dwarves found their precious gold, silver and other metals. Sure enough, on the other side of the mirror six Phoenix Agents were standing and keeping an eye at him. Harry fought the urge to laugh at the Agents, and instead used the opportunity to study every one of them.  
  
There were four males and two females. Most of them were in their late thirties and looked though and experienced. But one of the two women couldn't be more than 17 or 18. She was wearing what could be a recruit- uniform. It was white with a silver phoenix flying around like a maniac, while the others were wearing the traditional light-blue robe with the golden phoenix. The girl had light-brown hair and grey-green eyes. While the others were discussing something or other, she was looking straight at him. A perfect opportunity.  
  
'I hate to do this, but you got to do what you got to do.' Harry thought, then put his plan into action. He had to wait quite a while until the girls eyes met his, then he quickly used a goblin-spell to give telepathic commands to her. All he had to do was plant a firm idea in the girls head, and no matter what spells they cast on her they wouldn't be able to find something wrong with her. The young woman's eyes flashed golden once, and Harry walked back to the bed. The spell was done, all he had to do was wait until tonight and play Mum's Golden Boy. As soon as the Phoenix Agents in the room behind the 'mirror' discovered that he was awake, they were going to send for their leader. It was a wonder that the Phoenix Agents hadn't noticed that he was awake yet. No wonder the Dark Idiot known as Riddle was gaining power so quickly.  
  
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Harry was still staring at the 'mirror'. He hadn't moved from that position in over than three hours, not even to change out of the pyjamas. The only thing that indicated that he was still alive was the fact that he blinked now and then. The Phoenix Agents that had been assigned to watch him were either half asleep, had read through the same magazine ten times or were playing cards.  
  
Harry was keeping an eye at them with the help of the dwarf-spell. Thank heavens he had asked Imir to teach him some spells, like that one, last year. Suddenly the Agents on the other side jumped up and started to hide the cards and magazines. Harry quickly cast a Listening spell he himself had made up on the 'mirror'. This was bound to get interesting.  
  
A minute later a man walked in, followed by another one. Both of them were in their late forties, maybe early fifties. The first one had black hair and blue eyes. He was quite pale, and his nose was a bit large, but that was about the only things that were interesting with him. the other one had his brown, greying hair tied back in a ponytail, and stone-hard brown-eyes. Both of them were wearing blue robes with the ever present golden phoenix, plus both of them had badges and markings on their shoulders or right above their hearts.  
  
The men turned to look at him. Harry indicated in no way that he knew what was going on at the other side of the 'mirror', he just continued staring straight ahead.  
  
"This is him?" asked the one with the ponytail. "He hasn't even dressed!"  
  
"That doesn't mean that he isn't dangerous, Richard." The one who had more markings than his companion, said. "Remember what the Agents from Hogwarts reported."  
  
"So what if he saved the Death Eater Snape," the other countered angrily. "You'd think that by now he'd either accept the defeat and the fact that he's ours, or he'd be trying to get out of there."  
  
"How can you speak like that to the Commander?" one of the Agents in the room asked horrified.  
  
"Keep you noise where it belongs Agent. And don't speak unless you're spoken to."  
  
"Calm down Richard, what's eating you so much about this man." The man mentioned with his hand towards Harry. "Did you expect him to act and look like the Dark Lord?" The other man, Richard, didn't say a thing, just glared at Harry. The Commander shook his head. "Well, lets go in there and meet him."  
  
Harry quickly got rid of the Listening spell and waited patiently for the Commander and Richard to come in, through he had no idea how they were going to accomplish that. Suddenly on the only bare place of the wall a door appeared, opened and the two men stepped in. Harry didn't look at them, just continued staring straight ahead. It was clear as crystal that his lack of respect was annoying Richard more than anything. In the end the man exploded, unfortunately no literally.  
  
"You'll stand up when the Commander of the Order of the Phoenix enters the room."  
  
Harry turned his head slightly and raised and eyebrow at the man. Fanatic. That was the only way to describe him.  
  
"I owe you nothing." He said after looking the men up and down. "And I do as I want. If I want to sit, I'll sit. If I want to walk around the room completely nude, I'll do that. You have no power over me."  
  
"I think you're wrong Mr Chase," the Commander said and stepped further into the room. "If you look at the inside of your arm, you'll find the crest of the Order tattooed on with magic." Harry's eyes widened. He did just as the man had suggested and found the crest tattooed onto his arm. "Nothing can make it go away. And every time we call, you'll be forced to answer."  
  
"Sounds a lot like the Dark Mark of Voldemort." Harry said while calmly examining the mark. "And I think you'll have to change your Mark-of-the- Phoenix speech." He added.  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Harry held out his arm for the two men to see, then concentrated. The tattoo shimmered a bit then dimmed until it was completely gone. That left the Commander and his companion completely lost for words. Both of them were staring at the place where the Mark had been.  
  
"That just proves our point Chase." Richard said. "We can't have someone with unexplored powers walking around without being under surveillance 24 hours a day. Who knows what could happen? I doubt even you know your own boundaries."  
  
"What Mr Hawkins here is trying to say," the Commander glared at the other man, "is that until we know what you can and can't do, you'll have to stay here. Either you want it or not. There just isn't any choice Mr Chase."  
  
"There are always choices Commander," Harry replied, "as long as one can think. And right now I choose to say that I'll be out of this room and Headquarter within the next 36 hours. Care to make a bet?"  
  
Richard Hawkins looked like a beetroot. And even the Commander seemed to loose his patience with Harry.  
  
"And how pray tell are you going to manage that?"  
  
"No-no," Harry said in a singsong voice, waiving his finger at them as if they were four or five year olds. "A magician never reveals his tricks. Surely you Commander would know about that?"  
  
"I can see that we're not going to go anywhere with this discussion today Mr Chase," the Commander said after taking some minutes to put himself together. "We'll be talking again tomorrow. Good day." He turned and left, Hawkins following.  
  
Harry chuckled and cast the Listening spell again. Then he turned his attention towards the 'mirror'. Annoying the hell out of the Commander and Hawkins had been extremely fun, now he wanted to see their reactions.  
  
As soon as the door in the other room was closed after him, Hawkins roared in anger and annoyance and then his fist connected with the brick wall. Harry winced at that but couldn't keep the devious grin from permanently making an appearance on his face.  
  
'That must've hurt.'  
  
The Commander just stood there breathing deeply and slowly in and out, trying to compose himself. The Agents in the room were staring at Harry in hate and disgust or at their superiors with worry and curiosity.  
  
"What's going to happen to him now?" the oldest Agent in the room asked and nodded towards Harry. "He cannot get away with being so rude to you, and what happened to the Phoenix Mark?"  
  
"How powerful do you think he is?" asked another one. Apparently when the first Agent had spoken it had broken the ice.  
  
"It's freaky you know? Just watching him stare at the wall hour after hour."  
  
"Look at his eyes. Thy don't belong on a human being; only Elf-eyes can have that kind of colour and intensity, and even with them its rare. Well, that's what I've heard anyway."  
  
"Doesn't his ears seem a bit pointed to you?"  
  
"Yes, now that you mention it I see it too. I was there when they caught him; it took five minutes until he blacked out, and even then he had to be stunned."  
  
"Did you see his teeth? They're sharp as Vampire-fangs! But he can't be a Vampire. First of all he's not pale enough."  
  
Harry was quickly getting bored, as were the Commander and Hawkins. The two men left the room without the Agents noticing, and Harry nearly fell asleep listening to them so he took the spell off, and started planning for later tonight. It was time to prove to the Order of the Phoenix that they weren't at the top of the world.  
  
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Well, what do you think? Want more?  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter of the Order of the Phoenix:  
  
Essence of Power, aurora*sky, Naia, krystaldragon, WolfMoon, Nkari, teazer, Death-Demon Xero, Phoenix of Light, insane and crazy duoe, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, coconut-ice agent h/h, Zaln, Aurora Snidget, Amy, A- man, Sophie W., Miranda Flairgold, selena, Tara-Chan, Bookworm, Sev Rickman, Neo and Artemis fire mage of Golin.  
  
Now, to the task of answering some questions:  
  
Whoever said that the Saga3 was the last in the series? I plan on doing a Saga4 maybe even a Saga Side Story. The voice in Harry's head's still in the story. It disappears after the end of the 6th year. The Slayer Organisation and the Slayer Bar form the Saga are two completely different things, and have nothing to do with one another whatsoever. The man at the end of the Order of the Phoenix is going to pop up again, but I'm not sure exactly when. The Saga of the Red Dragons Order starts in the summer before Harry's 7th and last year at Hogwarts. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling. And Gemmy Kanchigai belongs to Ryshora.  
  
Authors Note: WOW! I had no idea that I was going to get that many reviews. Thanks people! You're the best!!!!!!!!! Anyways, here's chapter 2. I hope you like it and please review.  
  
-Chapter Two-  
  
Harry yawned. He really hated not having anything to do, and what was bothering him even more was the fact that the voice hadn't appeared once since he was captured. The blasted thing usually annoyed him to death when he didn't need it; but when he did, it was gone into thin air. Typically his luck.  
  
Suddenly he heard shuffling of feet in the direction of the door to the room, then there came the sound of something being pushed and at last the door opened. In stepped the girl he had cast the goblin-spell on. She closed the door after herself and looked at him awaiting further orders.  
  
Harry got up and changed the pyjama into his old clothes. The only reason he hadn't dressed in some of the clothes in the closet, was that they were all hexed with charms and spells that he didn't have time to figure out and weave out of the fabric. He put the black sunglasses on then turned to the girl that was waiting like a zombie by the door.  
  
//Show me the way out of this place. Quietly.// He said telepathically to her and she nodded obediently.  
  
The girl nodded and walked out the door, then waited for him. Harry didn't take long to exit his little cell, and followed her down corridors upon corridors. The young girl was babbling on and on about every single thing they passed, but Harry wasn't paying attention to her; he was paying attention to the way they were walking. It could come in handy later.  
  
"And here's the study," the girl said as she led him into a huge room. Shelves were lining the walls all the way up to the roof, and those shelves were filled with millions of books. All around on the floor stood desks upon desks with parchments and books on them or scattered on the floor around them. Harry perked up immediately. "Some of these books not even the 10 000 year old Slayer Organisation doesn't have; not even the 10 000 year old vampires have them, if there still exists vampires that old."  
  
//Tell me more. What kind of books are there, where are they, where did the Order get them?// Harry asked quickly.  
  
"Of course," the girl replied. "We have books about Elves, dwarves, vampires, leyries, wayries, and about any other kind type of books. Some say that a couple of the books came from the lost empire Atlantis. Most of the books the Order of the Phoenix found in the attics of old Muggle houses, or some of the oldest pureblood families. Others they found with the other treasures they find all over the world. Most of the gold, silver and other things like that they sell to Muggle museums. Where else do you think the Order gets all the money it needs? The books are this way."  
  
//Do you have books about secret or sacred places?// he didn't, and wouldn't, take the chance to speak out loud. Just to be sure.  
  
"Sure we have. Anyways, there's this thing that the Order got hold of last two years ago. You've probably heard about the TriWizard Tournament that was held at Hogwarts, right? Well, anyways," she continued before he could answer. "We went through the office of the Death Eater that played Mad-Eye Moody, and found this weird parchment. The Death Eater seemed to be extremely interested in it, though I have no idea why. He wrote down lots of weird things on a parchment we found nearby. Said something about 'map of Hogwarts' and 'still need the password' and-"  
  
Harry cut her off. He had suspected it the first time she had began talking about it, and now he was sure. Someone up in heaven loved him!  
  
//Where is it?//  
  
The girl looked a bit surprised at his harsh, commanding tone, but obeyed and led him to a table in the back. Harry quickly went over the parchments on the table and found what he was looking for. What he had been missing for two years. A family heirloom if you want. The Marauders Map was back in the right hands again. His.  
  
//The books girl,// he said, not even turning to her. //And when everything is said and done, you won't remember me taking the Map. Nor will you remember letting me out, or leading me out of this place.//  
  
She just nodded.  
  
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'The Legend of Atlantis', 'Legends and Myths', 'Ever wonder?', 'Excalibur', 'The Light' and hundreds of other books like that lined the shelves. Harry had to keep his mouth from dropping open. Even if he wasn't a bookworm as big as Hermione, he knew that this was once in a lifetime opportunity.  
  
'Holy Honeycake,' he thought as he read over the titles. 'Not even the apocalypse could've gotten Herm out of this place. And what's weird is that I agree with her.'  
  
Title after title, book after book. How he wished that he could take them all with him.  
  
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'Stupid! I hate that man! How could he not be a Dark Lord when he saved a Death Eater? Really! We have to capture him, he says. Get him to talk to us and use his powers for our cause, he says. Bah! All we ended up with was another problem at our hands that's as silent as the grave! I'll get him to talk even if it is the last thing I do!'  
  
Richard Hawkins hurried to the most heavily guarded quarters in the whole Headquarter. The quarters where Rex Chase was currently staying at. That blasted Commander Tim Thompson really was going to be the end of the Order of the Phoenix one of these days. Letting a powerful Dark Lord have a complete room in the Greek Headquarters. Why didn't they just hand the world to the man on a silver platter!  
  
He barely noted that there were no guards outside the door to the little room Chase had gotten, but dismissed it as one of Thompson's stupid ideas. That man had spent far too much time with the doddering old fool Dumbledore.  
  
Richard put his hand on the ID-rock outside the door to Chase's cell. The rock quickly ran through the files of all the members, found his Magical Signature, beeped and the door to the rooms opened. Richard quickly drew his hand to himself glaring at the thing. It was a rock for heavens sake! It was not supposed to beep like a common Muggle machine! But did anyone listen to him? No. Nicht. Zip. Zero! Some even thought it funny! Can you believe that?  
  
He entered the rooms and walked over to the bed. God how he hated the blue and gold all over the place. Even the bloody walls were blue with stupid, overgrown canaries flying around like headless chickens!  
  
The man pulled the covers back and was face to face with a sleeping Chase.  
  
'Look at him,' he through in disgust. 'Doesn't even know when he's in danger.' He reached over to the sleeping form and give it a hard push. Nothing happened. Again he pushed the other man, but this time much harder. Chase fell on the floor with a thump, but didn't show signs of waking up. 'I am surrounded by imbeciles.'  
  
He growled and walked to the other side and stopped dead in his tracks. There was no Rex Chase on the floor, just a couple of pillows stuffed in robes! A note was stuck to the pillow that had been the head. Richard decided to read it before he exploded and took it up.  
  
'I win the bet. You owe me.  
  
R. C.'  
  
Ok, now he could explode.  
  
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Harry's head whipped around at the horrible siren. It sounded like something from World War 2, going on and on and on. The girl went stiff, looking torn between going to help her fellow Agents and listening to his orders. Harry sighed. He hated doing this, he really did. As the girl turned away he Stunned her and wiped her memory, then he turned back to the books on the shelf. He grabbed 'Legends and Myths' and 'The Light', shrunk them and put them in his pocket then he ran to the nearest exit.  
  
Out in the corridors Agents were running to and fro, yelling orders to each other and creating chaos. Harry just stood in the shadows for a while, amusing himself watching the disorder. Then suddenly all of the Agents stopped up, blinked a few times and began a more organised search.  
  
'So those Phoenix Marks can be used for more than just marking Order property,' Harry thought as he sneaked out of the shadows and looked around the empty corridor. 'Commander Thompson can give his Agents orders as well through them. Got to hand it to them; it's a useful trick.'  
  
"Hey you!" Harry looked up the corridor and saw an Agent heading his way. The man's companion yelled for backup. "Stop in the name of the Phoenix!"  
  
'Can you get more cliché?' he asked himself as he set off down the corridor. The worst thing was that he couldn't use all of his unnatural speed. That'd only make the Order think that he was a vampire and hunt him even more, and he didn't need that on top of everything.  
  
Harry hurried down the corridor using his ability to sense magic to choose what way he was going to take. The less magic he sensed, the closer to the exit he was. He rounded a corner and stopped dead in his tracks. Up ahead guarding the door, stood Hawkins and at least twenty Phoenix Agents.  
  
'Oh shit.' Was the only through that ran through his head as Hawkins grinned triumphantly. 'I am in soooooo much trouble.' Behind him the two Agents that had been chasing him rounded the corner, followed by at least a dozen other Agents, and stopped. All of them grinned. 'I wonder if anyone will notice if I blow this place apart?' Harry asked himself. 'No, out of the question. That'd just prove to them that I was a Dark Lord.'  
  
Hawkins and his group and the Agents behind him began to close in on him, all the time grinning triumphantly. He really hated that expression when it wasn't on his own face; he really did. Suddenly an idea popped into his head, and Harry grinned evilly. The Agents stopped when they saw the deviously evil grin and looked uncertainly at each other.  
  
"What are you waiting for morons?!" Hawkins yelled. "Get him!"  
  
The Agents looked at each other again, wondering what to do. On one hand they had to obey their superior, but on the other hand they had a powerful supposed Dark Lord to fight. In the end they decided to go with Hawkins orders. At least they would be remembered that way for dying in battle to defend the world. It was better than nothing. They took one step forward then stopped and gaped.  
  
There weren't one Rex Chase in front of them, there were dozens! Each and every one of them glared either at Hawkins and his group or the other group that had chased Harry. There was no way of knowing exactly who was the real Rex Chase; and to make things worse, each of them were walking around and didn't stay still in one place more than a few seconds!  
  
Harry grinned from the shadows. How he wished he could stay here and watch how the Order of the Phoenix discovered that each and every Rex Chase in the room was an illusion, but he had to go. It was time to get out of this place for good.  
  
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'Now that's what I call a close call!' Harry thought as he leaned against the wall. He was in what seemed an old deserted corridor behind a tapestry. He had leaned on the thing trying to catch his breath and had ended up in here. A few corridors after he had left Hawkins he had come face to face with two other Agents, and since he didn't feel in the mood to blow them out of the way he had fled. He looked out through the tapestry again and saw the two Agents run past him. 'Thank heavens I'm one of those lucky people.'  
  
Harry allowed himself to relax slightly. He could run for hours at end, but even he needed to rest at times. He rubbed his hand over his eyes. A major headache was on its way, and he was powerless against it. It was a weird thing that he was the most powerful wizard in centuries, and he couldn't even get rid of a common headache.  
  
Harry opened his eyes and stared at the thick layer of dust on the floor; something was wrong. He could feel it. Suddenly the dust by his feet was gently and almost unnoticeably blown away as someone came closer. Before the person could blink Harry attacked. He grabbed the persons arm and had him or her pinned to the wall with a dwarf-spell within seconds. He used his Elemental powers and a fire appeared in his hand.  
  
Harry stood face to face with woman of quite average height. She had curly, black hair that reached her shoulders and brown eyes. She couldn't be more than twenty-three or twenty-four years old. The woman glared at him; in the firelight her pale skin seemed to almost glow. She seemed to want to say something so Harry quickly released her mouth.  
  
"Bloody hell, was that necessary?!" she asked. "I was about to lead you out of this place, and you attack me! For heavens sake-" Harry shut her up with the dwarf-spell.  
  
"Lets take this one thing at the time," he said and she nodded. "First, what's your name? I don't trust someone whose name I don't know." He released her mouth again.  
  
"Gemmy Kanchigai." She replied.  
  
"Alright, we've gotten that far. Now, what did you say about helping me out of this damned place? What do you want in return?" Harry asked quietly.  
  
"I want you to get this Mark off me, and to let me help you fight the Dark Lord." Harry raised a sarcastic eyebrow at that. "I am not crazy so wipe that look off your face. The whole Headquarter knows that your Phoenix Mark disappeared. And wouldn't be useful to have a spy among the largest organisation that works against the Dark Lord? After all two pairs of eyes are better than ten birds on the roof." Harry blinked; probably a slip of tongue.  
  
He hated to admit it, but the girl had a point. He didn't have any spies inside the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's group RAV or the Ministry of Magic. He paced up and down the corridor thinking it over, knowing that Gemmy Kanchigai wasn't letting him out of her sight. He hated deciding whether or not to trust someone with a minutes notice. That could turn out to be fatal.  
  
"Alright." He said after a while and Gemmy's face lit up. "You're in, but one word about this to the wrong people and you won't have to worry about your Commander finding out about this. I'll kill you myself."  
  
"You've got yourself a deal mate!" Gemmy jumped up the second he released her and started dragging him down the corridor, asking questions all the time. "What were you doing in that known Death Eater pub? Do you work for anyone? How am I supposed to contact you when I need to? How old are you? Ever been sailing? Well, now you're going to get the chance! Anyways, I heard that you aren't fully human. Is that true? If it is, what other speci- "  
  
"What's this? Twenty questions?" Harry cut her off. "You Phoenix Agents talk too much. One thing at the time, you'll find that that's easier to handle. I was at the Death Eater pub trying to get information about Voldemort. No, I don't work for anyone," at that he was filled with a sense of wrongness. "Correction. I work for someone, but I ain't telling. I'll contact you, at least until we can put up some other system. I'm twenty- eight. You might say that I am not completely human, and I'm not telling you anything else." He pulled his arm to himself. The girl had nearly tugged it out of its socket. "Where are we going?"  
  
"To the Phoenix Quay so we can send you home." Gemmy replied. "Alright, you were searching for information in that pub. I can accept that. So, what do you want me doing except keeping my ears and eyes open?"  
  
Harry debated with himself if he should tell her about the Royal Eagle. She could help him greatly, having access to more information than him, but she could also tell others about it. He really hated choices.  
  
"Do you know anything about the Royal Eagle?"  
  
"ROYAL E-" Gemmy started, but Harry quickly covered her mouth.  
  
"Keep it down woman!" he hissed. "You want the whole world to find out?" she shook her head. "Good." He released her.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me right? The Royal Eagles are extinct!"  
  
"Yeah, I thought so too until a month ago. So, do you know anything about them?"  
  
"Only the usual legends about if you find the Royal Eagles you'll find Excalibur. Why?"  
  
"I want you to do as much research as possible on the subject. What's your function in the Order of the Phoenix anyway?"  
  
"I'm training to be a true Seer." Harry had to resist temptation to bang his head on the wall. He escapes one Seer and ends up with another. He was cursed! "I've still got a long way to go, but I can do small predictions a few minutes into the future." Gemmy carried on. "That's how I knew where you were. And here we are! Welcome to the Phoenix Quay."  
  
They seemed to be in a huge cave. There were rows upon rows with ships. Smaller boats and bigger boats. Everything was surprisingly clean. Some boats were loading, others unloading; and all over the place there was something going on, and every boat belonged in the 16th or 17th century. One boat in particular caught Harry's interest. Even from where he was standing he could see that the ship was built for speed and that it was easily manoeuvrable. The ship had white sails with a proud, majestic eagle soaring high over a forest. The figure head at the front of the ship was an attacking gilded griffin.  
  
Gemmy looked around and grabbed something, then threw it over his head.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
"It's disguise. You don't want to get caught this close to freedom? Follow me, and if anyone asks, let me do the talking." Harry glared but nodded and pulled the hood of the blue robe over his head.  
  
"What ship?" he asked.  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Just in case we're discovered then I know where to run."  
  
"Why do you think I had this planned?" Gemmy asked but continued walking.  
  
"You aren't hesitating, and you had hid the cloak ready for use."  
  
"Oh, well, you're right. We're going to the ship with the griffin figure head; the 'Avenger'."  
  
"Friends of yours?"  
  
"Yep. Now be quiet."  
  
The walk to the 'Avenger' wasn't long, but there were lots of sailors walking around bumping into them and pushing them out of the way. As they reached the ship a man who had to be the Captain walked up to them.  
  
The man was in his late forties with a little grey marring his hair and beard. His stormy grey eyes twinkled merrily as he saw Gemmy, but curiously when they looked Harry up and down. His clothes were long, loose black pants and a white shirt with big sleeves. The man even had a golden ear ring.  
  
"Rex," Gemmy's voice brought him back into reality. "This is Bryant Calhoun, Captain at the 'Avenger'. He and his crew are going to take you back to England."  
  
"Wait a minute," Harry said turning to her. "We aren't in England?"  
  
"No, we're in Greece." She replied.  
  
"I hope ye learn fast sonny." Bryant Calhoun said. "We ain't takin' on som'one who can't defend themselves or ear their stay."  
  
"I'll do my best Captain." Harry replied.  
  
"I'm sure ye will sonny. Now come on, get on board."  
  
"Yes sir." He started walking up the plank.  
  
"And sonny," Harry turned back to the man. "It's 'aye, aye Capt'n' at sea." Harry nodded and jumped onto the deck, quickly followed by Calhoun. "Raise the anchor! Oars out! Lets set sail!" every order was quickly and precisely carried out.  
  
Harry looked back to the quay and saw Gemmy standing there. She raised her hand and waived to them. Several of the crew replied, and in the end so did Harry.  
  
They rowed towards the wall opposite the quay, and just as Harry thought that they were going to hit it, the wall shimmered for a minute and they passed straight through. Once outside the wind quickly took hold of the sails and the ship shot forward.  
  
'Home sweet home, here I come.' Harry thought as a smile spread over his face.  
  
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Well, what do you think?  
  
Thanks to all those who reviewed. As I said I had no idea that I would get so many reviews.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Moonlight, Fin-Phoenix, L. Meylan, evie bellwood, Leprechauns41006, Hannah Abby, Dru, Naia, WolfMoon, tima, Korinna Myorin, Artemis fire mage of Golin, Essence of Power, BloodRedSword, Rhea, Miranda Flairgold, M. Black, Jason Voas, Sophie W., A-man, Angel of Death, Nkari, aziandorkess, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Bookworm, AtieJen, Goldenfire, Tara-Chan, Aurora Snidget, A person way to lazy to login, Sev Rickman, coconut-ice agent h/h, Mona, Ashley, Usa Yui and Usa Kou, CJH, selena, Badger Lord, krystaldragon, ~Mary~, TatraMagami, Arizosa, Eve Larne, Confuzzler, Rogue1615, dark-vash, CG Anna Marie, starkitty, JUDGEMENT, QuidBrm, Hope and Cool-dude22. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for all the reviews, I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Here's chapter 3. I hope you like it as much as the last and please review.  
  
-Chapter Three-  
  
  
  
Ron opened the letter from Hermione. Apparently she had gotten a Horned owl for her birthday just at the beginning of the summer, and was already trying to train the poor creature. The owl, Artemis, hooted happily as he took off the letter and flew over to Pigs cage, pushed the tiny ball of feathers out and jumped in, attacking the food and water at once. Ron only shook his head as he watched the ridiculously little Pig trying to force his way back into his own cage, then he turned to the letter.  
  
'Hi Ron,  
  
How are you doing? I know, I know, it's only been a week since we last saw each other, but I'm worried about you, your family and Harry. With the Dark Lord on the loose, who knows what might happen next. I'm also worried for the fact that the Dark Lord hasn't tried anything yet. Or maybe he did, but that Rex Chase stopped him, or...God, I don't even know what to think anymore!  
  
Anyway, have you heard from Harry yet? I sent him a letter a few days ago, but it came back unopened. You don't think that those wretched Muggles did something to him, do you? Or maybe it's just Artemis' fault, she doesn't like to wait for long. As I said, I have no idea what to think anymore.  
  
I'm worried about him Ron. Did you notice how he acted last year? It was as though he was a completely new person! He reminded me of Dumbledore, but there was something extra about him. Something, I don't know... magical! Yeah, magical; that's the word! It was as though he was the core of magic. And did you notice that he disappeared into thin air at the oddest of occasions, only to reappear a few moments later or have a perfect alibi? He's keeping something from us, and I think it's about time we figure out what it is and why he's keeping it secret.  
  
I heard some rumours last year at school that Harry was working for Rex Chase; you know, running small errands and their like. Do you remember when the Dementor's entered in Potions? Do you think it was Chase who let them in? And it can't be just coincidence that Chase always appears at the moment he's needed.  
  
Owl me as fast as possible, and take care of yourself and your family.  
  
Love from,  
  
Hermione'  
  
Ron began to search through his room for parchment, pen and ink. Hermione was right, Harry had been acting weirdly last year. And that Rex Chase; always appearing when he was needed. All of that couldn't possibly be coincidence, it wasn't logical! He finally found what he was searching for at the bottom of all his Martin Miggs the Mad Muggle comic books, sat down at his desk and began to write.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Hermione almost dropped her plate when a tiny fluffy thing whizzed past her and crashed into the soft pillows on the couch. Artemis flew in a moment later, glared at the couch, nibbled her ear and flew off towards her cage that stood in Hermione's room.  
  
Hermione herself put away the dish and turned back to the couch. She leaned carefully over, expecting something to jump up and attack her, but sighed in relief when she saw exactly what it was that had caused the commotion. Well, half of the thing that had scared her halfway to death. Pig's behind was sticking out of the pillow, wiggling comically as the little owl tried to pull himself free, hooting madly all the time.  
  
She shook her head and pulled the eccentric and crazy owl out of the pillow. Pig greeted her with a happy hoot and flapped his wings. Crookshanks who was lying at the other end of the couch, opened one green eye and glared at them, then went back to sleep. Hermione smiled in amusement, then started to look for the letter that Pig was supposed to bring.  
  
She found it on the floor where she had been standing when Pig had crash- landed in the couch. She ran to her room, closed the door and let got of Ron's owl who at once began to fly around like a madman. Hermione didn't notice. She opened the letter and read it with Pig flying around her head in circles, hooting madly all the time.  
  
'Hi Herm,  
  
Yeah, you're right. Harry did act weird last year, and I know about the rumours concerning Harry and Rex Chase. I don't think you need to worry about that man anyway, Hermione. I heard from dad that he saved Snape from You-Know-Who. Walked straight into the Dark Lord's Headquarters and walked straight out; when they found out it was too late, Chase and Snape were already on their way back to Hogwarts.  
  
I also know what you mean with the magical feeling around Harry. Each time I'm close to him, I feel like I can do almost everything I want to. I feel safe. Ginny said that she felt somehow at piece with everything, even when she was thinking about the Dark Lord. I agree with you, this can't be only circumstances.  
  
Everything's good over here. Percy bores us all to death, mum's fussing over everyone, and the twins are being their usual self. Dad's gone a lot, mostly working at the Ministry. Apparently Dumbledore asked him to keep informing him about what was going on at the Ministry.  
  
I'll owl you as soon as I find out something else,  
  
Ron  
  
PS: you worry too much. I think it only was your owl's fault that Harry didn't get that letter. Maybe he was out or sleeping or something.'  
  
Hermione sighed. Ron was probably right, she did worry too much. And Artemis had been quite cranky the day she had sent the letter to Harry.  
  
Suddenly she heard a tiny tapping from somewhere in her room, and looked over to the jar that still held Rita Skeeter. The beetle was looking at her and was tapping the glass with a tiny wooden stick. When the bug realised she had the bushy-haired girls attention, she tapped the lid indicating that she wanted out, then she looked back at Hermione and somehow managed to produce a look that said that she had an idea.  
  
Hermione debated with herself for a moment, then picked up the jar and lifted it up to her eyelevel.  
  
"One trick and I'll tell the Ministry that you're an Animagus." The beetle nodded and managed to put one of her front legs right over her heart. Hermione shook her head and crouched down, opened the lid and let the beetle out. A second later Rite Skeeter was standing in her room, stretching her arms and legs. "Now, what did you have in mind?" the Gryffindor girl asked and the reporter grinned evilly.  
  
-------------------------  
  
There it was. His prey for the night; just waiting for him to attack, to let the ancient game of Kill or be Killed begin. How he loved this game; loved to win every time, loved the chase, the sound of his victims terrified heartbeat; loved to play with them, make them think they had a chance and then striking with unnatural speed. And most of all he loved the feeling of his fangs piercing that delicate skin of the neck, and the payment for all his efforts: the life-giving crimson flood that would begin to pour. He could hardly wait for his victim to leave the stupid pub, but until she did he would be content with watching her every move and feel his own hunger build itself up.  
  
He was a tall, lean person with short black hair and eyes hidden behind black sunglasses. He was completely dressed in black: pants, turtleneck shirt, shining black shoes, and a black trench coat. The only two things that weren't black were the necklace around his neck and his skin.  
  
The necklace was made out of pure white lithmin, the rarest of the rare metals the dwarves could provide the world with. It was made into an intricate pattern that he had tried to figure out countless times, but never succeeded.  
  
His skin was almost as pale as the metal. It looked like marble, and if he sat still enough he could trick mortals into believing it too. He had tried. It was quite fun to see their faces when a statue in the museum suddenly sprang to life and ran away. Why, he even prided himself with being the origin and reason of some of the most known ghosts in the world. For example; he had enjoyed it immensely when one of the fledglings had stolen all his clothes on a dare, and he had been forced to run around in an old dress from the 1500ds he had found lying around. It had made the guards of the Tower of London think he was Anne Boelyn, the beheaded second wife of King Henry VIII. Of course, the fledglings had also chopped his head off, so that had completed the picture. Life was just wonderful at times.  
  
The man chuckled quietly, remembering that time fondly. He wondered what had happened to the fledglings now. Were they dead or alive? Did they manage to get through the catastrophe known as Tom Marvolo Riddles first rise to power? Had they escaped the Slayer Organisation? Had the loneliness finally gotten to them? There were too many possibilities, and he didn't want to think of them now. He had a victim to keep his eyes glued on.  
  
He scanned the dance-floor. It was difficult to see anything among the dancing youths, and the blinking light that accompanied the music didn't exactly help. He mentally cursed himself for letting her slip away and started to comb through the alcoves along the walls, putting all his concentration into the search.  
  
"Hello." The voice made him jump and turn quickly towards it, expecting to see one of his own kind there. Instead he came face to face with the girl he had been watching all night. She was staring shyly at him through thick, long eyelashes with too much makeup. "I couldn't help but notice that you've been sitting here staring at me all evening."  
  
'Athan old boy, you're getting out of practise. Ten years ago they wouldn't even know it if you were three inches from them.' the man thought to himself and smiled charmingly at the young girl. "It's kind of hard not to look at such a beautiful young woman as yourself." He replied smoothly. At least his verbal skills were still intact.  
  
The girl gained colour in her cheeks. She abruptly sat down on a stool beside him and ordered a drink from the bartender. She turned to him, then back to the bartender and ordered another one for him. He smiled as he picked up his Tequila Sunrise but didn't drink it. Instead he had his eyes focused on the girl beside him who was drinking the whole thing in one, big gulp; then she ordered another one.  
  
"What's your name?" she asked after a while, turning to him.  
  
"Athan," he replied seductively. "And yours?"  
  
"Christine," she said. "That's funny; you don't look like an 'Athan'." The girl added.  
  
"Am I supposed to counter that, saying that you don't look like a 'Christine'?" he asked, and she laughed. Suddenly he noticed that her eyes kept glancing over at the other side of the room and followed her gaze. Right opposite them stood a group of girls glaring at Christine. However, when they noticed that he was staring at them, they all blushed and turned away giggling. There were only two things in life that he hated. Calls for meetings and lovesick, giggling mortals. "What do you say about getting out of this place?" tactfully he placed a light hand on her knee. The girl blushed even more.  
  
"Sure, why not?" she stood up, then sat right back down. She was drunk.  
  
'I'm beginning to wonder if this is worth a bit of blood.' He thought to himself as he stood up, then helped her to stand and led them out of the noisy room and into the fresh air. As soon as they were outside, and a good few blocks away from the pub, he started on the next phase in his usual hunting plan. He began to make advances towards the girl, her neck being his goal. 'Yep, it's worth it!'  
  
The girl giggled as they staggered down the street towards the old St. Luis Cemetery.  
  
"God, your skin is colder than ice!" she giggled again.  
  
"Want to warm me up?" he asked quietly as he nibbled on her ear. A bit more and he was at his goal. He could feel his fangs growing longer in anticipation. The girl pushed him playfully away. 'Shit, now I have to start all over again!' he knew he sounded like a whining child, but didn't care at the moment. He had been sooo close to his crimson award, and she had to push him away. Youth these days had no respect for vampires. Really!  
  
"No-no," she said in a singsong voice wiggling a finger at him as though he was a little child, and at the same time keeping a good hold of the collar of his trench coat with her other hand. She smiled seductively. "Not out here, love," she continued as she pulled him closer again. Mortals could be so confusing at times, "it's too cold. Let's go to my place, it's not too far away from here."  
  
"Too cold?" he murmured, his lips brushing hers. "It's in the middle of summer, and it couldn't get hotter in New Orleans than it is now." He moved to her neck.  
  
"What about the police?" she asked, lifting his head up so that she could look at him.  
  
'I'm beginning to loose patience with you girl!' he thought but replied nonetheless. "The cemetery's right over there," he pointed. "No policeman would dare to enter that place."  
  
"Hey, I may be drunk, but I'm not stupid!" she said and got out of his embrace. "You ain't getting me into that place buddy. You must be new in town since you haven't heard all the rumours, legends and myths surrounding that place." She hadn't been as drunk as he had first thought. She couldn't be one of Them, could she? "They say that demons walk in that place. Demons looking like humans, with cold, pearly white...skin..." her mouth dropped open and he grinned deviously, showing off his fangs. Nope, she was definitely not one of Them.  
  
"You were saying?" she turned and fled. 'And let the games begin!'  
  
-------------------------  
  
His laughter rang out after her as she ran for her life. She ran around a corner, but stopped dead in her tracks. He was standing there, the full moon casting a cold, mysterious light over him.  
  
"Going somewhere love?" he asked. Christine changed her course and ran the other way, but she didn't get far. He was blocking her way again. "What, not even a tiny goodbye-kiss?"  
  
She turned and ran towards the cemetery; surprisingly she reached the iron- gate it without trouble. She opened it and ran inside, hiding behind a large tomb. There she began to analyse her situation. She hadn't been at the top of her year in school for nothing.  
  
'I'm hiding from something that was supposed to be a myth, and I'm hiding in a cemetery which is their territory. God, what am I going to do?' she thought to herself. 'I can't die like this! What about mum and dad? And my place at Harvard Law School? It's not my time! I'm too young!' Panic was beginning to build inside her and tears ran down her cheeks. "God! I can't die like this!"  
  
"There's no need for screaming love." She turned quickly; he was standing behind her, watching her through those black sunglasses. "Be a good girl now, and come to me without complaints. If you do I'll end your life quickly maybe even make you one of us. However, if you don't, the chase is going to be long and hard, and it won't stop until I have you as my supper."  
  
Christine watched him for a minute. Now she knew what had attracted her to him in the first place, ever since she had seen him in the pub a week ago. It was the feeling of danger people got when they came close to him; and the fact that he possessed an otherworldly beauty didn't make things worse. She stood up, suddenly calm. If God wanted her to die at the hands of this fallen angel, there had to be a reason for it.  
  
She walked up to him and stood in front of him for a while, just watching him, trying to memorize everything about him. She slowly, uncertainly lifted her hands towards his face, stopped halfway then proceeded. He let her do it, didn't interrupt once. Christine took off his sunglasses. The eyes were closed at first, then they opened. She was staring into a pair of sharp, unnatural silver eyes. She was lost in them, and didn't notice when his arms went around her and pulled her closer. Nor did she notice when he leaned down to her neck, searching for the perfect spot.  
  
The charm was suddenly broken when his head jerked up and he looked around. She stared at him in wonder as he looked from one place to another, staring into every shadow, searching for something. He let go of her so suddenly that she stumbled and fell, but she didn't care. She kept watching those silver eyes search frantically for the thing that had disturbed him. After a few minutes when nothing had come up, he shook his head then turned back to her. He hadn't even taken one step towards Christine, when his eyes widened in terror or annoyance, she couldn't tell.  
  
"Oh shit, not again." Was the only thing he said before he was gone in the blink of an eye.  
  
Christine stood up shakily and brushed herself off. She was about to head home, when she noticed the sunglasses on the ground. She picked them up and examined them. They were the latest in style, and looked cool. She decided to keep them as a reminder of the fact that there were more than humans running around, and that God had given her a second chance.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Athan ran at full speed towards the edge of town. If it was some stupid fledgling that had gotten into trouble, and had sent out the call he would first save them and then kill them himself; that is, if other vampires didn't do it before him.  
  
On the other hand the call had been too strong, too forceful to be sent out by a fledgling. No vampire under 1900 years could send out something as strong as that. It had to be one of the four oldest ones that had sent it out.  
  
He nearly fell when the call came again, more powerful this time than the two first.  
  
//Riddle awake again. All vampires over 1000 years meet up at the Stonehenge, England. Spread the word. Meeting in three days.//  
  
It wasn't the female voice he had gotten used to, but a male voice even more powerful than the one he had expected. Last time Riddle had been on the rise, Athan had been safely tucked away in an underground cave; he had slept through the whole war, and had ignored the call for the meeting at the beginning of the catastrophe. Needless to say that the other vampires had been pissed at him, but it had passed eventually.  
  
He had reached the coast of the American continent, and was looking out over the ocean. He could feel the sun rise behind him, but where he was going there was still night. He focused his eyes on a star and started to concentrate. Athan gathered all his willpower and down right willed himself to be in the air with the star.  
  
Everything went in a rush, and before he could blink he was in the air; all he had to do now was change his course towards England and focus on something big in the country: like a city, an important building or place. It wasn't too different from the wizards way of apparating, just not as fast.  
  
While he was flying he made sure to forward the message as far as he could. Even if he was 8900 years old, he had his limitations. The only one who didn't would be the first vampire to exist, but no one had seen or heard from the old creature for more than 9400 years, and most of the vampires believed that the first vampire didn't exist anymore.  
  
Athan shook his head. All this thinking was making him feel dizzy and he had to keep an eye out for Sea Witches. The task would've been easier to perform had he stopped playing with the girl, Christine, and instead gone straight to business. But what is, is. And he had a meeting to attend. There was nothing that could keep him from involving in the second rise of Riddle.  
  
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Well, what do you think? Sorry about the delay, but a few new characters popped up and demanded to have their spot in this chapter, so I had to rewrite half the chapter.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Tima, aziandorkess, Naya, WolfMoon, M. Black, Moonlight, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Rogue1615, Sophie W., A-man, evie bellwood, JDY, Miranda Flairgold, Essence of Power, Angie, Tara-Chan, Nkari, Beldin325, lollipozz, Phoenix of Light, Sev Rickman, ruskbyte, Mona, Arizosa, Neo, aurora*sky, coconut-ice agent h/h, JUDGEMENT, Korinna Myorin, Confuzzler, Ashley, Bookworm, Siri Kat, krystaldragon, Nicole, Hope, Cr1Ms0n^D3v1L, CeltickKnight, Richan, Amber Evans Potter, tracev, Exploding Snap, MythX, sammymc, Rhea, Cate and Lilly Potter.  
  
Don't worry. Everything will be explained sooner or later. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling. And the Pretender-idea belongs to Ryshora. Thanks buddy!  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the delay, but I've had a couple of tests this week and didn't have much time to write. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last.  
  
  
  
-Chapter Four-  
  
  
  
Athan's sharp senses picked up the presence. The thing, whatever it was, was powerful, extremely powerful. The vampire realised that the feeling had been in the air for a good while now, just that he had been too occupied to pick up on it before now. He cursed himself in several languages; it was one of his bigger faults. He didn't have the ability to concentrate on more than two things at the time, while other vampires could think about ten things while they were doing something else.  
  
He slowed his speed, and lazily floated towards the British coast which he could see in the horizon, all the time scouting under him for the thing. If it was the Dark Lord they didn't have a chance in hell of defeating him; and if it was something completely different then it would be good for the vampire population to know about it and do something about it before it was too late.  
  
Sound reached his ears, human voices either speaking or singing. Sea Witches. Athan let himself slowly drop until he was just above the water surface, then he headed towards the ship. There was light in the Captains cabin, and most likely it was there where he would pick up something useful. The Sea Witches hunted vampires whenever they saw one, believing that killing a vampire on the sea brought them good luck.  
  
As he floated closer to the windows of the cabin, the powerful presence in his mind grew. Soon he was close enough to hear what was being said.  
  
"We'll arrive Englan' t'morro' Chase." Athan knew that voice. It belonged to Brian Calhoun, an old sailor the vampires feared. He had killed more of them than ten of the other ships put together. "Unless we run into trouble tha' tis."  
  
"Tomorrow suits me fine Captain," the other voice replied. In the same second the vampire knew that it belonged to the powerful being, and it was not Riddle. "Trouble you said?"  
  
"Ye know; pirates, storms, sea-serpents, their like." Calhoun replied. "An' let me tell ye right now Chase, ev'ryone on board's suppos'd ter to their fair share of the fighting. Them pirates are the least of our worries, the worst would be te meet tha' ghost-ship the 'Naar de Duisternis'."  
  
"The Darkness." The other voice whispered in respect. "Dutch, isn't it?"  
  
"Righ' ye are youn' un'. Ye 'ave got a head on yer shoulders. I guess tha' it wasn't to hard for ye to escape from them Phoenix Agents."  
  
"A few tricks here and there, and I was almost out, most of the honour goes to you and your crew and 'Avenger'. And Kanchigai of course."  
  
Athan couldn't keep it up anymore, he had to see this Chase-guy, and besides the sunrise was slowly, but securely, coming closer. He carefully flew up to the window and peeked into the room. Calhoun sat with his back to the vampire, the table in front of the captain was neatly organised. The lamp above their heads swung here and there with the ships movements. In one corner there was a neatly made bunk and opposite the window was the door.  
  
On the other side of the table, facing Athan, sat a young man that couldn't be more than twenty-eight. He had short, spiky brown hair and intelligent, twinkling eyes. The man was looking straight at the vampire. Their gazes met for a second, then the young man looked back to Calhoun and didn't say anything about what he had seen.  
  
Athan on the other hand had nearly lost his grip on the flying and had nearly landed in the sea. Those eyes, those beautiful jewel-blue eyes, had scared the hell out of him. Never in his long life had the vampire ever seen such eyes before. They pierced into the depths of his soul, digging up memories that he had believed forgotten, and some memories he deliberately didn't want to remember. And hell curse him if those eyes hadn't turned unnaturally green too fast for Calhoun to see.  
  
"From what I've heard," Chase's voice said. "Then that ship mostly keeps to the waters near the southern pole."  
  
"Well, it does most of the time," Calhoun replied. "But ye can never be sure 'bout tha'. Now, come 'n join the crew an' meself on board, and let's see what ye can tell us 'bout them happenin's in England."  
  
"After you Captain."  
  
Athan heard the door of the cabin being opened and the fading footsteps of the Captain. He looked one last time into the cabin. Chase was still there, his gaze locked with the vampires again. Athan watched in surprise as Chase flickered his hand and the light in the cabin went out; the jewel-blue eyes still seemed to glow.  
  
//Don't you have a meeting to attend, Immortal?// Athan's gaze was glued to the man. How could the mortal know the meaning of his name? //If not, then I feel obligated remind you that the dawn is coming closer and closer.// The weirdest thing was that there was no hate nor fear in the message, only power and an overwhelming patience.  
  
//Who are you?// Athan asked. //Or better said, what side are you on?//  
  
//Rex Chase,// the man replied, //and you might say that I'm something of a freelance wizard. My loyalties goes to whoever has the best chance of winning.//  
  
//And in this war?//  
  
//Why, I thought it was obvious.// Chase left the cabin, leaving the vampire to look after him uncertainly. The immortal shook his head and started to fly towards England. He had flown for quite a while when Chase's voice penetrated his head. //If you want to contact me, ask Potion Master Severus Snape, or Harry Potter.// Then it was gone.  
  
The rest of the short way to London Athan spent debating with himself whether this man was on the good side or not. He had named a well-known Death Eater and the mortal enemy of the Dark Lord, the Boy Who Lived. God, mortals were so confusing.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry grinned. The poor vampire was thoroughly confused, and that's the way he wanted it.  
  
'Good job mate,' the voice said. 'Couldn't have done it better myself.'  
  
'You know, I think you've spent too much time at sea.' Harry replied. 'And since you came back you've been talking more than last year.'  
  
'Well, it wasn't my fault that those Phoenix Idiots had found a way to keep someone from the outside giving telepathic orders to someone on the inside of that building. And you did quite well on your own too.'  
  
'Why thank you. I'll take that as a compliment.'  
  
'Why, in heavens name, do I always get stuck with the comedians?'  
  
" 'ey Chase!" Harry looked over to Calhoun. "Come an' join us an' tell us 'bout them happenin's in England!"  
  
Harry made his way over to the captain, the first mate and some other men and sat down on a barrel.  
  
"What do you want to know?" he asked. "The politics? The scandals among the pure-blooded families? Or the biggest scandal of them all?"  
  
"We ain't interested in politics unless it concerns us," the first mate, Desmond, began. "The scandals among the purebloods we could care less 'bout; so I guess it 'ill be the last one."  
  
"The Dark Lord, Voldemort, is back." Harry said bluntly.  
  
There was a long silence, then most of the sailors began to laugh.  
  
"Oh, tha' tis a good un'!" Calhoun roared.  
  
"Every'un' knows tha' 'e is dead!" a sailor added. "Tha' Potter-lad did it."  
  
"You shou'ln't joke with them things," Brice, the oldest sailor on board, said. Besides Harry, he was the only one who wasn't laughing.  
  
"I am not joking about anything." Harry said seriously. "You've all heard about the TriWizard Tournament I presume?" the sailors nodded. "At the end of the third task Potter was taken away by the means of a portkey. The Dark Lord used the boys blood, bones of his father and the flesh of a servant to resurrect himself. I have this from three very reliable sources." He added seeing the disbelieving looks.  
  
"Who?" several sailors asked.  
  
"For one, Albus Dumbledore. Two, Severus Snape, and three, Potter himself."  
  
"Dumbledore and Potter I can believe in, but ev'ryone knows tha' Snape's a Death Eater." Calhoun said.  
  
"Wrong," Harry countered. "He's an ex-Death Eater and was a spy for Dumbledore until summer last year when the Dark Lord found out. I saved the man myself. And the fact that I got it from him just means that it is more reliable," he continued. "Since Voldemort didn't know that he was a Death Eater, he was summoned and able to witness the whole thing."  
  
'You are lying your ears off there mate.' The voice said. 'Snape was never at that gathering.'  
  
'What am I supposed to do? Tell them the truth? Not bloody likely!'  
  
'Sometimes it's better to do just that.'  
  
'I'll file that away. Now I have a question for Calhoun, so if you don't mind?' the voice mumbled something about rude idiots, then went quiet. Harry turned to the captain. "Excuse me for asking captain, but I was wondering about something." He waited for the man's nod, before he continued. "How did the Sea Witches come to be, and what's their purpose?"  
  
"Well," Desmond began, "I don' exactly know how we came ter be, but for most of the time we cargo magical objects from one place to another. Most of them old things them Gringotts down in Egypt, or any other place in the world, dig out can't handle being transported by portkey or apparating, so we take 'em; get paid for it pretty damn well too. We also take on passengers from time to time, but they have ter pay for it."  
  
"On most of our ships there are at leas' one Air and Water Elemental," Calhoun added. "I think Brice 'ere will be able to tell ye how we came ter be."  
  
The old sailor looked Harry up and down for a long while before he began.  
  
"In the ol' days, Master Chase, them Muggles were the only ones with ships, and the Wizarding World hadn't yet discovered the Floo powder. Now, one time a witch, a real lady I tell ye, had had enough of them Muggles and their slow ships. So she took un' of 'er fathers ships, got together a coupl' of sailors and started ter cargo magical people 'round. Later, after the lady's death, 'tis was discovered that she was a Water Elemental and 'er husban' an Air Elemental. Their lad carried on to cargo magical folks 'round 'till the Ministry asked if they couldn't cargo relics as well." Brice had a dreamy look in his eyes. "An' that, Master Chase, is 'ow them Sea Witches got started."  
  
"Thanks for telling me," Harry said.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry waved to the 'Avenger' as she sailed away. Most of the sailors waived back; the sails were dropped and she was caught in the wind and was out of sight soon after.  
  
Harry grinned and started to transfigure a twig into a broom.  
  
'Why don't you just apparate?' the voice asked.  
  
'Are you kidding? After what happened last time I tried?'  
  
'You are afraid.'  
  
'No, I'm terrified of apparating again. For heavens sake, I may look like a twenty-eight year old, but I'm only fifteen.' Harry replied, got onto the broom and flew off.  
  
'Correction,' the voice said. 'You'll be sixteen in a couple of hours, and if you don't get home before twelve something bad is going to happen.'  
  
'What the hell are you talking about? Is this some kind of Cinderella- thingy? I'll loose my Pretend-form when the clock strikes twelve or something?'  
  
'No you nutheaded idiot. There was one thing that the book didn't mention, and that is that every birthday after your first Pretend, you'll get two new shapes.'  
  
'What's so bad about that?' Harry asked.  
  
'It will be extremely painful, and this time you're bound to feel it when it happens. Unless you're unconscious., and you are most certainly not.'  
  
'Oh shit!'  
  
'That's what I've been trying to tell you, now hurry home!'  
  
Harry put on extra speed on the broom, and used his Elemental abilities to make everything go even faster. The houses, trees, roads and fields underneath him were only blurs; and if any Muggle was out tonight and saw him, they would think they had seen a shooting star or an UFO.  
  
Harry could feel the pain building up inside of him as he flew. Right up ahead he could see Surrey, and there was Number 4, Privet Drive. His window was still open, just the way he had left it.  
  
He had just managed to land inside his room, when the pain became much, much worse. It was even worse than the pain he had gone through when the had tried to apparate and the Phoenix Agents had captured him.  
  
Suddenly the pain was gone. Harry took a few moments to collect himself before he stood up and walked over to the wardrobe.  
  
'Let's see what I look like this time,' he thought to himself and opened the door. His mouth dropped and his eyes widened when he saw himself. 'Oh good God.'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Sorry for the short chapter people, but I'm kinda stuck here. And sorry for the delay, but I've got a novel/story/fantasy-thingy to write for school, and I wasn't even sure that I would finish this chapter. From now on it might take a bit longer before updates due to that thing I've got to write. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Confuzzler, Arizosa, Moonlight, Naia, WolfMoon, Korinna Myorin, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, ~*Moony*~, Usa Yui and Usa Kou, Phoenix of Light, JUDGEMENT, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, aziandorkess, Bookworm, coconut-ice agent h/h, Amber Evans Potter, A-man, Jarvey, Tara-Chan, LunarMist DarknessEclipse, krystaldragon, PR LUCKEN, SilveRain, BloodRedSword, ( ), Ashley, bubblegum*girl, Godric Gryffindor and Blizzard.  
  
Also I want to thank Ryshora for beta-ing this chapter. And I update as regularly as possible. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews; and a BIG thanks to Insane and Crazy for another insanely long review. Hope you like this chapter as well as the last, and please review.  
  
-Chapter Five-  
  
  
  
White, glowing, pupil-less eyes stared out from a young man's face; white, thin eyebrows arched elegantly, white hair reached black-clad shoulders and sharp cheekbones under pale marble-like skin. A fancy business suit, tailored to fit him perfectly; a black silk tie and shirt almost completed the picture. Almost. Two huge, shining, elegant black wings sprouted from his shoulder blades. Right now they were folded nicely against his back.  
  
Harry just stared and stared with an open mouth. It made the man in the mirror look quite ridiculous, but right now he could care less if the apocalypse came. He could deal with the suit that even came with a black silk handkerchief in the left pocket and the two black pens sticking out of his right pocket, he could deal with the white hair and the pupil-less, shining eyes. But who the hell was expecting him to deal with the wings!  
  
'You look good Harry,' the voice said. 'Very good indeed. You fit perfectly for this form; I'm glad I choose it for you.'  
  
'Back up! You choose it for me?'  
  
'Of course! I control almost everything in the Magical World. Now, what are you going to call him?'  
  
'First of all I want to know exactly what I am!' Harry retorted. He was examining the form closer. 'What's with the hooked nose? I look like Snape!'  
  
'It's not as big as Snape's,' the voice pointed out. 'Hey, don't blame me for it! I just choose what creature you were going to become, the look of the form comes on its own with no help from me.'  
  
'You're a weird one, you know that? So what am I?'  
  
'You might say that you're some kind of an angel.'  
  
'Some kind of an angel?' Harry asked. To tell the truth he did look quite good in this form.  
  
'You aren't fully angel as that would make the real angels pissed off at me, but you're close. Imagine what you can do in that form!' the voice sounded extremely satisfied. 'So, what are you going to name him?'  
  
'How about 'Mayon'? In Hindi it means 'the black god'.' Harry suggested as he changed back into himself.  
  
'I like it; it fits the form just as the form fits you.' the voice replied. 'Now get ready, the next Pretend is about to take place.'  
  
'Thanks for the warning.' Harry said flatly.  
  
'Hmpf, see if I'm going to warn you next time.' The voice replied, but it was lost on Harry who was once again on the floor fighting to keep from screaming in pain.  
  
This time it took even longer for the pain to disappear. When it finally did Harry stood up and looked into the mirror. He literally had to keep himself from fainting in shock. His skin was completely black with dark purple, slightly glowing signs all over. The ears were pointed like Elf- ears, and the two huge coal black bat-like wings that sprouted from his shoulder blades stretched on their own accord. The next thing he noticed was that he had no mouth and that the eyes had no pupils, but were glowing yellow-orange. He was also completely naked, yet he wasn't; it was as if he was wearing tights in the same colour and pattern as his skin. Else he had the height of a normal teenager and that was about it.  
  
(Ok, now this is weird.) Harry thought as he examined the form closer. (Even weirder than the black-angel one.)  
  
'I think you look pretty nice,' the voice commented. 'Though why a demon- form choose you, I have no idea.'  
  
(What?! You didn't give me this one?)  
  
'Hey, I said that I commanded almost everything. Note the 'almost' in that sentence.' The voice replied. 'Remember the time I told you about Fate and Destiny? Well, you might say that...that they are my counsellors.'  
  
(You are afraid of them, aren't you?) Harry asked, then changed back into his normal form. What was he supposed to await next year? An elephant? Dinosaur? 'You know, I hope this doesn't happen every year.'  
  
'No it won't, only on the 15th and 16th birthday, though some new forms might pop up in extreme situations. And I am not afraid of Fate and Destiny! I'm just wise enough to listen to them. What are you going to call that one by the way?'  
  
'I was thinking about Ala-aliquis.' Harry replied. 'Quis for short.'  
  
'Ah, it fits. Now, you better get to bed before your uncle gets up to see what the commotion is about.'  
  
'But wouldn't he notice me gone those four days?' Harry changed clothes and crept under the cover.  
  
'I made an illusion of you those days you were missing, and nothing really happened. I'll also make sure the owls just drop the letters and gifts for you then fly off again. Now go to sleep! You need it.'  
  
Harry decided not to argue with the voice, and did exactly what it told him to. He didn't have nightmares, nor did he have visions of Voldemort. For the first time since he had been captured by those idiotic Phoenix Agents, he could relax.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Two days later found Harry working a double shift in the library. The other librarian had called in sick, and he was alone in the whole library. It was one of those days when everything went wrong. The population of Little Whining had decided that this was the perfect day to go and borrow books, and Harry was sure that they did it to test how fast he could work. Several local girls had come to 'borrow' books, but they had instead followed him around all day and giggled and pointed. Even the weather was against him! It was grey, rainy, wet and windy.  
  
Harry had just sat down and was planning to stay in the chair for the next few years, when a shadow fell over him. Inwardly he groaned and cursed whoever it was to the seventh hell, but outwards he just looked up at the person standing in front of him and offered a tired smile.  
  
The man was of the same height as Snape, he kept his white shoulder-long hair in a neat ponytail, the skin was a bit paler than normal. He wore a completely white, fancy business suit, and black sunglasses hid the eyes. The man gave him a piece of paper where a couple of titles were written, then followed after him completely to the back of the library.  
  
Harry looked at the titles again. All of the books were old, almost forgotten history and mythological books. And all of them were huge and heavy. He looked to the top of the shelf where all of the books were placed, sighed and got a latter then began to climb towards them.  
  
//Watch it young one, or you'll fall.// It came so suddenly that Harry nearly lost his hold on the latter and fell. //That's exactly what I said,// the voice was patient, old and wise. It sounded a lot like the one that inhabited his head. //You have to be careful. I don't know what animal- blood runs through your veins, but be careful nonetheless. I don't think that the Wizarding World could spare their greatest hero.//  
  
Harry looked down at the man in white. The man was staring right back, and Harry carefully avoided meeting the golden, now uncovered eyes, and focused his stare somewhere at the man's forehead.  
  
//Who the hell are you and what do you want?// he asked as he slowly made his way down the latter.  
  
//A King told one of us that you could vouch for him if need be.// The man replied.  
  
//What has Rex gotten himself into this time?//  
  
//Nothing really, I just wanted to check out if he told the truth. Is there somewhere we could talk privately?// the two of them started back to the front of the library, Harry carrying the books.  
  
//Not today. But perhaps tomorrow?//  
  
//By that time you'll be long gone my young friend,// the man replied as Harry checked the books out. //Even if I can't read your mind, I know what you would do. It's a normal human reaction.// There was a short silence. //But if you're free tonight maybe we could meet in the park a few blocks away from Privet Drive?//  
  
//What's so important that you wanted to talk to me anyways? I'm just a teen.// Harry looked curiously after the man in white as he walked towards the huge doors.  
  
//Just a teen indeed Mr Potter,// the voice was full of amusement. //But have it your way.// It continued as the man opened the door. //Good day to you young Pretender.// Then the White Man, as Harry unconsciously had named him, was gone out into the rain.  
  
'Okay now, that was close!' the voice said. 'I thought he would never leave!'  
  
'Who was that?' Harry asked.  
  
'Cian, the oldest of the vampires.'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry sighed gratefully as he closed and locked the doors of the library. He had just chased the last giggling, walking hormone out, but only after he had given her his phone number and told her that his name was Dudley Dursley.  
  
He rubbed his temples as he went towards the back of the library. He still had to sort all the books that had been delivered that day, and had to put them back to their respective shelves.  
  
'Don't worry,' the voice reassured him, 'I'm here and I'm going to keep you with company.'  
  
'Oh, good God.'  
  
'I hope that that was meant in a good way.'  
  
'Decipher it as you please.' Harry replied and picked up the first few books. 'Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Children, Myths, Legends and History, Science Fiction.' It went on like that for quite some time, then he began to put them back to where they belonged, starting with the Children Books first as they were furthest away.  
  
When he came back he noticed two things. One: all the other books were gone, and the cart which had previously been holding them was empty. The other thing was that he was definitely not alone anymore.  
  
'Voice, did you know that this was going to happen?'  
  
'Not really, Fate and Destiny forgot to tell me again.'  
  
'Do you at least know who it is then?'  
  
'Of course I do,' the voice replied sounding offended. 'It's Cian, Athan, Ramsis, Zev and Pyralis. You might say that the five of them are some kind of leaders among the vampire population.'  
  
'Oh joy.' Harry thought as he picked up the keys to the library. He then headed towards the back entrance of the building. //Since you're kind enough to put away the rest of the books for me Cian, we'll talk. Meet me back at Privet Drive in my room, which I have no doubt that you know where to find. And bring your charming friends with you if you wish.// Harry locked the backdoor, checked it, then headed off towards Privet Drive.  
  
It had stopped raining, and the full moon and the stars were peeking out now and then giving the whole scene a mysterious look. As he passed the park he swore he saw someone hurriedly run over the road leading to the children playground. Harry smiled, pretended not to have seen the person, and continued towards Number 4.  
  
However, before he could reach the house, his senses went into high gear and he instinctively jumped to the right, drawing his wand and pointing it at the attacker. There was no one there. Harry growled and pocketed the wand and continued.  
  
'Blasted vampires,' he thought. 'If they absolutely have to check my fighting skills, couldn't they have warned me first?!'  
  
'I don't think it works that way.' The voice told him. 'By the way, you know the Shield charm that can protect you from a Basilisk? Good, then cast that one on your eyes and you'll be able to look the First Vampire in the eyes again.'  
  
'Why didn't I think of that?'  
  
'Well, I have a few suggestions-'  
  
'Don't even think about it.'  
  
The Dursley's didn't pay attention to him as he came in, nor when he went into the kitchen to get something to eat. They were surrounding Dudley, who was bragging about having a date with a girl he had never talked to but who knew his phone number. Aunt Petunia was sniffing with tears streaming down her cheeks, mumbling about how her little baby Dudders had grown into a fine young gentleman. Uncle Vernon was congratulating his son, and telling him that they needed to have a Father-to-Son talk later on. Harry didn't even want to think about what that talk might contain and hurried up to his room as soon as he was finished eating.  
  
'Vernon giving Dudley the talk about Flowers and Bees is something I could go without hearing.' He closed the door after him and sighed in relief.  
  
//Something has come up young one,// Cian's voice penetrated his head. //We will be slightly delayed for the meeting. I do hope you don't mind.//  
  
//Take your time First One,// Harry replied. //I have some stuff to do myself.//  
  
//Then we'll meet later tonight.//  
  
'Whoever said that vampires were murdering monsters?' Harry asked no one in particular as he walked over to his trunk and opened it. 'Some of them are polite; annoyingly polite at times.'  
  
'Come on Harry,' the voice said. 'You know that some of them have been existing for over five thousand years. I think that they have had enough time to perfect their manners.'  
  
'Always that optimist, eh?'  
  
'And you are almost always a pessimist.'  
  
'No I'm not, I'm realistic.' Harry replied and sat down at his desk. He dipped the quill in the ink and started to write. Maybe befriending Gemmy Kanchigai wasn't such a bad thing after all.  
  
-------------------------  
  
I know, I know, short again. But I still have that thing to write for school, so you'll just have to bear with me. If anyone wants to see pictures of Harry's new forms, drop me a mail or state so in your review.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Hannah Abby, aziandorkess, Artemis fire mage of Golin, Mike Potter 2002, Trance Snape, arizosa, Fin-Phoenix, tima, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Suspect A. K. A. JDY, Naia, bubblegum*girl, Ashley, Korinna Myorin, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, krystaldragon, Death-Demon Xero, Confuzzler, Wolfmoon, SilveRain, Phoenix of Light, Blizzard, Ryshora, Mona, coconut-ice agent h/h, JUDGEMENT, lunatyme, Usa Yui and Usa Kou, Miranda Flairgold, ruskbyte, bookworm, QuidBrm, Cool-dude22, Amber Evans Potter, Hockeyguy14, Insane and Crazy, Godric Gryffindor, A-man, TheUnknown, Bookworm, Richan, darkness, Plato, Mr. Happy Java Man, Lady Foxfire, Rachel A. Prongs, Hermione HP, della luna, Nkari and Paladin Steelbreaker.  
  
And thanks to Rys for Beta-ing this chapter and for helping me out when I was stuck.  
  
Ala-aliquis: Latin for Winged-One 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for all the reviews. Hope you like this chapter as much as the last.  
  
  
  
-Chapter Six-  
  
Harry had almost fallen asleep when the vampires finally showed up; first in through the window was Cian, followed by a beautiful woman with the same hair and eye colour. She was wearing the latest fashion of black wizard business-robes, decorated with silver and gold intricate patterns. Her name was Pyralis.  
  
He had barely had time to properly introduce himself to her, when another head popped up over the windowsill. Pale skin stretched over sharp cheekbones, framed by midnight black, shoulder-long hair. The blue eyes were cold and emotionless.  
  
//Mr Potter,// Cian began. //This is Zev. Following him is Athan, and the last one is Ramsis.//  
  
Harry nodded politely to all the vampires in the room. While the first four were pale as marble, Ramsis had nicely toned skin and amber coloured eyes. The long black hair was kept in a neat ponytail, and the man himself was wearing a nice, fashionable suit.  
  
//I know what you're thinking Mr Potter,// Harry looked at Ramsis. //And you're right. I am not fully vampire, but half and half.// The man smiled at him, and Harry nodded in understanding.  
  
//So, what brings the five of you here to my humble home?// Harry asked. Cian had sat down in the chair that stood by the desk; Athan, Zev and Ramsis on the old bed, and Pyralis sat down in mid-air. He suddenly realised how weird it must've been for the Zabini's when he had done that.  
  
//Business Mr Potter,// Cian replied lightly. //We want to know what happened at the end of the TriWizard Tournament two years ago.//  
  
//It was in the Daily Prophet, so why do you need to hear it from me?//  
  
//We want to know how the Dark Lord came back to life.// The blue-eyed vampire, Zev, said bluntly. //It was either asking you or that Snape- fellow.//  
  
'You better tell them,' the voice said, 'they'll prove useful in the upcoming war.'  
  
And Harry did just that, avoiding some parts and adding some others. By the end of the tale, all the vampires were looking thoughtful. Cian and Pyralis were trying to remember if they had ever come across a spell like that, and Zev and Athan were arguing quietly whether it was possible to do that or not.  
  
'And I thought Malfoy and Ron had it bad!' Harry thought in amusement as he watched them.  
  
//Don't mind them.// He turned and faced Ramsis. //They do that every time their paths cross, no matter if it's in the middle of a war or if the sunrise is just moments away.//  
  
//They remind me of two boys in school,// Harry said, amusement evident in his voice. //So, what side are the vampires going to take, Voldemort's or Dumbledore's?//  
  
//They don't know yet,// Ramsis answered. //They're currently trying to find out who has the best chance of winning the whole thing, but I think most of them will side with Dumbledore.// Harry nodded in understanding. //Last time almost all of them sided with the Dark Lord, and the only thing they got out of it was to get more than half the vampire population killed.//  
  
//Sad years indeed,// Zev commented from his place at the bed, Athan was looking smugly triumphant. //And the fact that the Slayer Organisation stuck their overgrown noses into it didn't help our cause.//  
  
//And what cause is that?// Harry asked.  
  
//Don't listen to him,// Athan shot in. //He's always messing with other peoples minds.//  
  
//And who was the one running headless through the Tower of London in a dress?//  
  
//It wasn't my fault that the fledglings chopped my head off, though it was fun.//  
  
//If you enjoy going around headless, I'd be happy to help you lose it again!//  
  
//Boys!// the two of them turned to Pyralis, looking like first years caught red-handed in the middle of a prank. //Behave yourself, will you? We're not here to scare young Mr Potter, but to see what side we should take in this war.//  
  
//Sorry.//  
  
Harry met Cian's eyes and the First Vampire winked to him, amusement written all over the porcelain-like face.  
  
//Now, now, everyone,// the old vampire said, //the dawn is but a few hours away, and I know that none of you have fed tonight.// It wasn't a suggestion, but a direct order and the other four vampires quickly disappeared through the window and into the night after they had bid Harry goodbye.  
  
//What a bunch.// Harry said and looked at Cian. The vampire was watching him closely, searching for something. //What did you want to talk about?// he asked after a while in silence. Those golden, unwavering eyes gave him the creeps.  
  
//Straight to the case, eh? Very well, tell me this Mr Potter, who do you think has the best chance of winning this war?//  
  
//Dumbledore's side.// Harry replied at once, putting all his hopes on one single card.  
  
//And why is that?//  
  
//As you said Cian, they have a powerful Pretender on their side.//  
  
-------------------------  
  
Severus sighed as he put the pen down. He knew he shouldn't have postponed going through the fourth years tests, they were even worse than usual! Even Longbottom's had been better and that said something.  
  
He sighed again and rubbed his hands over his face. It was in the middle of the night and he was correcting wasted pieces of good parchment. Where were the Death Eaters or Rex Chase when you needed a break? And to make things worse, a bloody headache was beginning to make its presence known.  
  
'You do know that you don't have to finish all those...things tonight?' his inner voice said to him. 'Why don't you just go to bed, or take a nice long stroll on the grounds? That always calmed you before.'  
  
'First step towards madness: having an inner voice.'  
  
'But it is a good idea; and look, you're already halfway towards the Entrance Hall!'  
  
'Second step towards madness: said voice has a personality of its own.'  
  
'You should write a book about that. 'Ten Easy Steps to Madness' by Severus Snape.'  
  
'Oh, good God.'  
  
How he had got all the way to the lake, and why he'd gone there was beyond him. He suspected that Albus had something to do with it; the old Headmaster was probably sitting in his office, munching on a Sherbet Lemon and happily manipulating people here and there. Why he always ended up with the maniacs was a question he had asked himself more than once each day.  
  
First you had the friendship with Malfoy in school. The power-addicted idiot had nearly gotten him killed several times, but he'd never had the guts to stand up to the boy and had been the silent shadow that followed Malfoy around.  
  
Then there was Voldemort. Enough said about that case.  
  
And last, but not least, there was Dumbledore. Lady Luck really hated him for some reason or other.  
  
'You forgot to mention Rex Chase.'  
  
Chase was a category of his own. The man was loyal as a Hufflepuff, smart as a Ravenclaw, cunning and sarcastic as a Slytherin, and stupid and impulsive as a Gryffindor. Not to mention that he was powerful. Those five things combined could very well cause the apocalypse, and he wouldn't put it past Chase for trying. The crazy idiot had walked straight into the Dark Lords fortress, got hold of him and walked straight out. Without anyone noticing until it was too late.  
  
'Though you must admit that it was fun to see him get the better of Fudge, and get away with it.'  
  
'Which side are you on?' Severus asked annoyed as he headed back towards the castle, and the security of his dungeons.  
  
'Third step towards madness: discussing with the voice inhabiting your head.'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry and Cian had been telepathically talking all night long, both sharing some of their experiences with the other. The First Vampire was extremely interested in what had happened in Harry's first, second, third and fifth year, and the green-eyed teen had told him some of it. The man had laughed when Harry had told him about the tricks he, in the disguise of Rex Chase, had pulled on Snape.  
  
//So, young one,// Cian had said when he was finished laughing. //When are we going to talk to Dumbledore?//  
  
//We?// Harry asked. //I knew there was going too be a catch along the line somewhere.//  
  
//Of course there would. I need to talk with the Headmaster, but I highly doubt that Hogwarts herself would let me in if I wasn't with someone that Dumbledore trusted.//  
  
//Hold it! You mean to tell me that Hogwarts is alive?!//  
  
//Of course she is, how else do you think that the corridors and doors can change places? Or the moving staircases? Or the fact that a stone gargoyle is guarding the entrance to the Headmasters office?//  
  
//I don't know, never really thought about it.// Harry replied. //I guess I thought it was one of those unexplainable, weird magic things.//  
  
//Oh no, young one, you're highly mistaken there. When the Four Founders first built the castle, each of them weaved some of their personality, magical essence and life-force into the fundamental stones the school was built up on; that's how the house common rooms were created by the way.//  
  
//I guess you should know that better than anyone huh?//  
  
//You guessed right,// Cian replied. //I was there myself, watching over them while they were building it. So, how are we going to get into the school?//  
  
Before Harry could answer his aunts voice reached them, telling him to get down that instant and make breakfast for Vernon and Dudley or there wouldn't be any food for him until dinner.  
  
//Lovely family you have there Mr Potter.// The vampire commented.  
  
//Oh, shut up.// Harry thought quickly for a few minutes. //Hey, I have an idea, but I'll need your help.//  
  
//Sure, sure, but what about the talk with-//  
  
//Well, I guess this is a good time as any to go talk with him, but first we need to get past my...um...charming guardians.//  
  
//Alright, what's the plan?//  
  
-------------------------  
  
Petunia was happily humming and cooking food for her husband and her son. If that little, abnormal brat didn't want breakfast or lunch, it was his own fault. Her little Dudders needed to eat before they sent him back to that awful school, Smeltings. Imagine that they had forced the little angel to go to karate and dance clubs, and that they had said that he was fat. Hah! The boy was growing, he needed a lot of food.  
  
Vernon was reading the paper and Dudley was busy babbling about the date he had that evening.  
  
"Don't worry pumpkin," Petunia said to him as she put his breakfast in front of him. "Today we'll go out and buy you a brand new suit." She sighed happily. "Imagine that my little boy has grown up into a wonderful gentleman."  
  
"Now, now, dear," Vernon didn't even look up from the paper. "Don't start crying again. Where is that dratted boy?" he looked towards the stairs. "If he isn't here within the next two minutes, I'm going up there to get him, abnormal nonsense or not!" Just then two pair of footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs, and a second later two strangers in robes walked into the kitchen.  
  
The woman was wearing a green robe with a golden leaf-pattern at the hems. Her black hair was piled on her head in an elegant beautiful bun, and the brown eyes were twinkling merrily. The man at her side was wearing a deep forest-green robe, also with golden leaf-patterns all over; the white hair hung to the middle of his back, and the golden eyes shone with wild, untameable power.  
  
They looked like a king and queen.  
  
"We are here to tell you that Harry won't be home today," the woman said, her voice sounding like a breeze through the leafs. "He's going with us to get hold of his school supplies."  
  
"W-wh-who are you?" Vernon, her brave, brave husband, asked.  
  
"I'm Cheney, and this is my wife Xylona." The man replied in the same kind of voice as the woman. "Have a nice day." Both of them disappeared with a 'pop', leaving the Dursley's to look confused at each other, and Dudley to close his mouth.  
  
-------------------------  
  
//That was fun.// Cian said as the two of them appeared on the road to Hogwarts. //Now, do that little handy magic of yours and change these stupid robes back into my own clothes! Oh, and could you shorten the hair while you're at it?//  
  
//Watch it vampire,// Harry replied as he took out his wand and did just what the other had asked of him. //I'm not someone you can control or boss around as you do with the other vampires.// On second thought he added a golden ring on the vampires hand, and one on his own.  
  
//What are these for?//  
  
//If someone asks, we're married, and need to speak to Dumbledore about protection for the rest of the family.// He replied.  
  
//Good idea.// They began walking up towards the castle. //You know what's weird?//  
  
//What?//  
  
//That I know that you're a male, and still am talking to a female.//  
  
Harry chuckled at the vampires reply.  
  
//Messes up your view of the world, doesn't it?// he asked as he knocked on the door to the castle. Almost instantly it was opened by McGonagall. The Deputy Headmistress looked them suspiciously up and down. "We need to talk to the Headmaster." Harry said to the witch.  
  
"Ah, you must be here for the Defence Against the Dark Arts job!" the Head of Gryffindor House seemed relieved. She opened the door enough for them to enter, then dragged them towards the Headmasters office talking all the time. "We've already had a few people on interview, but none of them knew their stuff. Thank heavens that someone decent finally came along. One moment please." McGonagall quietly told the password to the gargoyle and it jumped out of the way. "Follow me please."  
  
//Defence Against the Dark Arts?// Cian asked. He didn't sound happy.  
  
Harry shot him a playful grin.  
  
//Well, I had to get even with you for tricking me into getting here, didn't I? Besides it isn't that bad here, you'll get used to the craziness soon enough. There's nothing to worry about 'honey'.// he quickly made his way through the doors of the office before the First Vampire had a chance to take revenge.  
  
//Call me that one more time and we're officially divorced.//  
  
Inside the office they were met with the sight of Dumbledore sitting behind his desk looking tired, Snape standing by the window looking ready to kill someone or something, McGonagall standing opposite the Slytherin Head of House and a black grim-like dog sitting there and generally looking stupid. Right in front of them stood the Minister of Magic himself with two Auror's on each side.  
  
//What the hell is that idiot doing here?// Harry asked angrily.  
  
//This promises to be interesting.//  
  
The Minister looked them up and down, carefully avoiding Cian's eyes. Then he turned back to the Headmaster.  
  
"Albus, what is this about? I thought you said we could talk undisturbed."  
  
"We're here because my husband wants to apply for the Defence position." Harry said quickly. "But if it was inconvenient, we could come again. I told you we should have owled them first." The last part was directed at the vampire.  
  
"No, no, of course it isn't inconvenient." Snape surprisingly said and led them further into the room. "Please, have a seat."  
  
//Ok, now this is beginning to worry me.// Cian said as he sat down in a chair that popped up.  
  
//Yeah, I agree,// Harry replied. //I've never seen Snape act so...nice!//  
  
Dumbledore was beginning to perk up again, and the twinkle in his eyes was back. Fawkes flew over to him, beginning to be petted.  
  
"I'm afraid this can not wait Cornelius," the old Headmaster said. "We are in a desperate need of a good Defence teacher, and school's only a few weeks away."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No, I'm afraid the Headmaster is right." McGonagall quickly cut the Minister off. "If you would come with me, I'll show you the way out." She herded the Minister and his two Auror's out of the office and closed the door behind them.  
  
Harry and Cian just looked confused, and even more when the dog, Snape and Dumbeldore sighed in relief.  
  
"You came at the nick of time, my friends," Dumbledore said, "the Minister caught us unaware with his arrival, which was, no doubt, the meaning of his visit. I can't thank you enough Mr and Mrs...?"  
  
"Joyleaf," Harry replied. "Lily Joyleaf, and this is my husband Theron." Both of them shook hands with the Headmaster.  
  
"Pleased to meet you; this is Severus Snape, Potion Master and possible future colleague."  
  
"Hello." All they got back was a court nod.  
  
"I'm sorry Albus, but I really have to go," Snape excused himself. "I have a potion brewing, and it is in one of its most critical stadiums. Good day." He nodded to the three of them, and left.  
  
"Now, you said something about wanting the Defence position?"  
  
//I'm going to get you for this one Potter.// Cian growled before replying to the Headmasters question. //Yes sir.// Dumbledore jumped when the voice invaded his head, and stared at Cian and Harry in surprise. //I would also like to talk to you about what you can offer the vampires if we join your side.//  
  
"Well, well, this just got more interesting. Proceed Mr Joyleaf."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Several hours later, Harry and Cian left the Headmasters office. Cian had gotten the job as the Defence teacher, and had also gotten a good deal for the vampires if they sided with Dumbledore. Harry had just played the dutiful, beautiful, sweet, loving wife.  
  
//I wonder what the Minister wanted to talk to them about.// Cian said as they were walking back towards Hogsmeade.  
  
//I'll see if I can't figure it out, and yes I'll tell you what I find.// Harry added before the vampire could say anything. //I guess I'll be seeing you again at the start of term.//  
  
//Don't go and get yourself killed now, Mr Potter,// the First Vampire said. //I still have to get even with you for that stunt you played in there.// He mentioned towards the school.  
  
Harry just laughed and disapparated.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry appeared again in an alley near the Leaky Cauldron. He quickly changed into Rex Chase, and walked towards the pub. Maybe he could find something out from some Ministry workers, or sneak into the Ministry building and check out what else they had information on.  
  
The second he entered the pub, he knew something was wrong. All of the Leaky Cauldron had gone deadly quiet, and everyone were staring at him; some in wonder and others suspiciously.  
  
As he walked through the pub, the stares followed him until he had exited. He took out his wand and tapped the right brick. A second later the entrance to Diagon Alley appeared and he stepped through.  
  
The same thing happened here. People stared at him, mothers dragged their children out of the way, others whispered and pointed.  
  
'Voice, do you know what's going on?'  
  
'Nope, but watch it! Eyelevel to the right!'  
  
Harry turned quickly and caught whatever that was headed towards his head; when he looked at the thing he saw a small stone. The people that were staring gasped, and somewhere in the back of the group hurriedly disappearing footsteps could be heard.  
  
'What the hell is going on here?'  
  
'I don't know, but maybe there's a clue in the Daily Prophet?' the voice suggested.  
  
Harry walked over to a both that was selling the wizarding paper and picked one up.  
  
'Oh, shit.'  
  
'The Daily Prophet, 18th of August 1997  
  
REX CHASE, FRIEND OR FOE?'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Well, what do you think? A long chapter at last! Please review.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
WolfMoon, Hannah Abby, Creamy Mimi, BloodRedSword, A-man, Harry and Hermione's Daughter (Ol' bean!), Mike Potter 2002, RJLL, QuidBrm, Bookworm, Jenn, Miranda Flairgold, tima, Trance Snape, Maxennce, Sophie W., aziandorkess, Nkari, Rhea, Phoenix of Light, Naia, Rachel A. Prongs, ( ), Fin-Phoenix, Korinna Myorin, LunarMist DarknessEclipse, CG Anna Marie, Blizzard, coconut-ice agent h/h, Usa Yui and Usa Kou, Ashley, daemonhart, Confuzzler, Tinabinna87, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Hockeyguy14, Richan, JUDGEMENT, Blipidy-Bob, Arianne, Ruskbyte, SilveRain, bubblegum*girl, Amber Evans Potter, Skysong and Lady Phoenix Gryffindor.  
  
Thanks to Ryshora for beta-ing this chapter. Please go and check out the fic we're writing together. It's called 'The Key to Triumph' under the pen- name Red Rys. I get the names for my characters from lost of places, but mostly from baby-naming sites. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews. Hope you like this chapter as well as the last.  
  
  
  
-Chapter Seven-  
  
  
  
'Oh, look, there's even a nice little picture to go with it.' Harry thought as he watched himself bang open the main doors of Hogwarts, and stalk into the Entrance Hall. 'Probably courtesy of one of the Creevy brothers.'  
  
'I don't care who gave the picture to the bloody paper,' the voice in his head growled. 'I want to know what the article says.'  
  
'Let's find out then.'  
  
'REX CHASE, FRIEND OR FOE?  
  
The first time this mysterious and questionable character showed up, was to save a certain Mr Severus Snape, ex-Death Eater, Potion Master at Hogwarts and former spy for Albus Dumbledore, from the clutches of the terrorists. Chase, it is said, walked straight into the lair of the terrorists, and walked straight back out with Mr Snape. Since then this Mr Chase has showed up on several occasions.  
  
It is said that Rex Chase works closely with young Mr Harry Potter on something or other, and that they have a Blood Contract to prove it. Mr Potter couldn't be reached, but Albus Dumbledore reassures us that it is true, and has even shown me the parchment with the contract which he claims young Harry left with him for protection.  
  
The Headmaster also shows your reporter a jam jar where something black floats around. "It is a curse that Mr Chase was kind enough to Trap for us." The Professor states. "He is extremely powerful," he continues. "For as far as I know, neither I nor You-Know-Who can Trap a curse as powerful as this one." When I ask what curse it was, Mr Dumbledore answers: "One of the Unforgiveables, the Imperius." Then he offers me a Lemon Drop.  
  
However, sources say that Rex Chase has denied to join the Order of the Phoenix twice, and has even denied to join the Aurors. This makes one wonder if Mr Chase isn't in league with the terrorists that are currently running around, trying to scare us with a couple of Dark Marks. Since he appeared in the public picture, there has been an unusual big activity among Dark wizards and witches.  
  
Mr Chase also protected Ms Cho Chang last year when the girl was accused of being a Death Eater trainee. Nothing could prove either of the sides right, so the case is dropped until further notice, but it makes one wonder where Mr Chase's loyalties lie.'  
  
'Whoever wrote this piece of rubbish?' the voice asked.  
  
'Rita Skeeter, that explains everything then.' Harry replied. 'I wonder how she could get out of the jar where Hermione has kept her for the last two years now.'  
  
'What if she didn't escape?'  
  
'You mean that Herm let her out on purpose?'  
  
'All the clues are there,' the voice answered. 'Skeeter knows about your co-operation with yourself, and got the picture from one of the Creevy brothers. This is clearly not something an escaped, un-registered Animagus reporter, especially not this one, would have written first thing.'  
  
'I guess you're right, but why did Herm do this?' Harry asked.  
  
'Perhaps to protect you, Harry? She and Ron both are worried about you, and you didn't exactly spend much time with them last year. And you did disappear at the oddest of times.'  
  
'I'll remedy that as soon as possible. Now I think we have some trouble approaching.'  
  
'Damn, you're on your own kid.' The voice was gone.  
  
Harry waited patiently until the ten or so Aurors had reached him, then he just stood there and let the Aurors make the first move. The onlookers had drawn back a bit, but everyone were following everything with greatest interest. One of the Aurors stepped forward, looking a bit uncertain.  
  
"Rex Chase?" Harry nodded once keeping his expressionless mask on. "On the order from the Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge, we are hereby putting you under custody until further notice. You'll have to come with us sir." The Auror mentioned down the street and towards the Ministry building.  
  
"What are the charges?" Harry asked.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What. Are. The. Charges?" he repeated, pronouncing every word clearly.  
  
"Associating with a known Death Eater and other terrorists." Another Auror spoke up as he stepped forwards.  
  
"If you're talking about Mr Snape then you'll have to arrest Professor Dumbledore, the rest of the Hogwarts staff, and the whole student body for associating with a known ex-Death Eater." Harry said very aware of the dozen or so reporters that had arrived, and the fact that the crowd hung onto every word that was said. He had to play the Game carefully. "And as for the terrorist-part, from what I know you don't even have one single piece of proof." He smiled slyly. "In my eyes gentlemen, that means that I'm a free man."  
  
The Aurors blinked and somewhere in the crowd someone snickered. The reporters were watching over their Quick-Quotes Quills or they were watching Harry like predators, ready to attack at a moments notice.  
  
"The Minister himself sent out this order," the first Auror spoke up once again. "Are you disobeying the Minister's orders? If so, then you have just confirmed that you are a Dark Wizard."  
  
"Not really," Harry replied. It should be forbidden to have so much fun while being 'interrogated' by Aurors. "It could also mean that I'm not English, and only here on vacation or something."  
  
Once again the Aurors blinked, then started a debate amongst themselves if this was right or not, the onlookers being dragged into the argument. Harry choose this moment to slide unnoticed into the shadows and Apparate back to Privet Drive.  
  
'Well, so much for spying on people in the Ministry.'  
  
-------------------------  
  
KNOCK - KNOCK - KNOCK  
  
Harry groaned and turned over in bed.  
  
KNOCK - KNOCK - KNOCK  
  
"Coming Aunt Petunia." He mumbled sleepily and went straight back to sleep.  
  
KNOCK - KNOCK - KNOCK  
  
"Oh, for heavens sake!" Harry sat up in the bed glaring angrily at the door. It took some time before he noticed that the clock read 6 A.M. and that the knocking came from his window. He jumped up and hurried over only to be met with the sight of Athan floating in mid-air outside trying to fend off a madly attacking Pig.  
  
//Mr Potter, get the window open before this little kamikaze-owl kills me!//  
  
//How many times do I have to tell you vampires not to call me 'Mr'?// Harry asked as he opened the window. Athan flew in and nearly crashed with the desk, Pig following. However, the tiny hyperactive owl didn't get far as Harry caught him with an elegant swipe of his hand.  
  
//Thanks,// the vampire said trying to get his dignity back. //Who owns that... that... feather ball anyway?//  
  
//One of my best friends,// Harry replied as he relieved Pig of the letter he had been carrying. //What are you doing here by the way?//  
  
//Cian sent me to see if you got some news from that Lily Joyleaf-woman he met earlier today.//  
  
//Ah, yes, tell the First Vampire to check today's Daily Prophet if he wants to know.// Harry tried to stuff Pig into Hedwig's cage, but the little owl down right refused to be locked up and tried to attack Athan time and time again. "Calm down Pig, he's a friend!" the owl looked suspiciously at him and hooted questionably. "Trust me." Pig glared at Athan, then jumped into the cage and attacked the bowl of food. Hedwig hadn't even opened one eye during the whole scene.  
  
//You wizards have weird pets.//  
  
//Tell me about it.// Harry looked out the window and discovered that the sky was going pink, then light blue. "I suppose you'll have to stay here today." He said turning to the vampire.  
  
Athan only nodded, he was busy studying Harry from head to toe.  
  
"What?" Harry asked.  
  
"There's something familiar about you, but I can't put my finger on it." The vampire replied thoughtfully, then shrugged. "Could we put up some dark curtains, I really don't fancy burning to death."  
  
"Sure, one moment." Harry quickly went to his closet and stuck his head in. He came back out with an old dark brown plaid which he placed in front of the window. "Better?"  
  
"Yeah, at least I'll be able to stay awake."  
  
"Hold it, I thought that vampires slept in the daytime."  
  
"We do most of the time, but it isn't end of the world if we skip one or two times." Athan made himself comfortable in the room, that meant floating around aimlessly in mid-air and glaring at Pig. "So, what do you do to pass the time?" he turned towards Harry who had just finished getting dressed.  
  
'Run here and there across the globe, trying to save the world, drive my Potion Master out of his wits, kick Voldie's ass, that sort of thing.' Harry thought in amusement. To the vampire he said: "Oh, nothing much. Doing chores for my Aunt and Uncle, and working at the library and that's about it."  
  
"You need to get out more." The vampire deadpanned floating upside-down in front of Harry.  
  
"No, I kinda like it; while I'm at Hogwarts I've got Voldemort after me and constantly have to look over my shoulder." Harry smirked. "What do you do pass the time, and how old are you?"  
  
"I'm 8900 years old, becoming 8901 at Halloween. What I do to pass the time? Now that's a good question if I've ever heard one!" Athan looked thoughtful for a moment. "I guess I just walk around and watch all you mortals stress here and there, it's quite fun; and of course hunt. No wait, there's two more things! My hobbies."  
  
"And those are?"  
  
"Well, lets see, annoy the hell out of the rest of the vampire population, especially Zev but that's between me and you; and being the origin of several world-famous ghost-stories!"  
  
"Origin?" Harry asked smiling. Athan looked extremely proud of his hobbies.  
  
"Yeah, like the Anne Boleyn-ghost in London Tower. A couple of fledglings chopped my head off while I was asleep and stole my clothes; you can guess what happened when the guards saw me walking around with my head under my arm and an old dress from the 1500's that I'd found." The vampire walked on the ceiling. "I tell you, it's quite a tough job to keep the legend alive. I have to let myself get beheaded every now and then; once I ran into the ghost of the real Anne Boleyn! Man, was she angry. Now that's a ghost with a real attitude problem."  
  
"I would too if my own husband had given the order to behead me." Harry replied between laughs.  
  
"... Yeah, I guess you're right. But still there was no reason for her to chase me around the Tower with a ghost frying-pan." The immortal looked offended when Harry cracked up once again. "Hmprf, see if I tell you any of my other adventures." He mumbled.  
  
Eventually Harry managed to get himself under control, but one look at the vampire standing there upside-down on his ceiling and pouting sent him right into hysterics once again. How he wished he had a camera.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Somewhere around midday there was a tapping on the window. Athan quickly hid in the closet to avoid the sun, and Harry opened the window. There were two owls outside. One of them was carrying the Daily Prophet, while the other was a pompous looking Horned Owl bearing a letter with a crest he had never seen before.  
  
Harry opened the window and let them in, then quickly replaced the plaid. He took the paper and the letter, then let the owls out again before replacing the plaid. The vampire stuck his head carefully out, and seeing no sun around came out of the closet. Athan watched with interest as Harry examined the letter, having completely ignored the Daily Prophet.  
  
"From who's that?" the immortal asked after a while. There was no address or anything.  
  
"I have no idea, never seen the crest." Harry replied. Feeling extremely Gryffindor-ish he opened the letter hoping for the best. All that fell out was a nicely folded parchment. Harry picked it up; the ink was crimson with a tinge of gold to it.  
  
'Dear Mr Potter,  
  
We have been keeping an eye at you for the past few years, and have been greatly impressed with what you have managed to accomplish. Contrary to what the Minister might have you believe, it is us Aurors who pick out who we want to join our ranks and legions. Given your background we think that you would be an enormous asset to our group.  
  
Mr Potter, we hereby invite you to join the Aurors of her Majesty's Royal Guard. We await your answer no sooner than the 4th of August.  
  
S. Nowels, Commander of the First Squadron.'  
  
Athan whistled. He had come up behind the boy while he had been immersed in the letter, and had read it over the kids shoulder. Commander Nowels was famous for his battle tactics and quick thinking, event the vampires tended to avoid him like the plague.  
  
"It makes sense." Harry said after a while in silence.  
  
"What makes sense?" the immortal asked.  
  
"That the Queen knows about the Magical World."  
  
"Of course she does. Every Head in every country, from president to dictator, knows about the Magical World. However when they step down a Memory Charm is placed on them to keep them from blabbing." Athan replied. "So, you gonna accept the offer?"  
  
"I don't think so," Harry looked at the vampire. "I hate to have people ordering me around."  
  
"Welcome to the club." The other man muttered. "May I have the honour?" he asked extending his hand towards Harry, who gave him the letter. A second later there was only a pile of dust left in the vampire's hand.  
  
Harry grinned and picked up the Daily Prophet. There, on the front page, was a nice little picture of him as Rex Chase catching the stone flying at his head. under it stood the whole conversation between himself and the Aurors in Diagon Alley. At the end of the article the reporter asked if Rex Chase could be trusted or not as he hadn't answered the questions the Aurors asked him, just confused them and then disappeared.  
  
'Those guys will never give up. I think it's time Rex Chase takes a rest and two other characters take a more active part in this war.' Harry thought and a small evil, smile spread across his face. 'Wizarding World watch out!'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Sorry for the shortness of this chapter people, but I kinda hit a dead end here. As usual please review and thanks to Ryshora for beta-ing.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
coconut-ice agent h/h, aurora*sky, Naia, Mona, Hermione HP, A-man, Amber Evans Potter, Miranda Flairgold, CG Anna Marie, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, Nkari, Blizzard, della luna, RJLL, WolfMoon, Arianne, Sophie W., Bookworm, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Rachel A. Prongs, Arizosa, BloodRedSword, Ruskbyte, JUDGEMENT, unknown(even to me, daemonthart, Confuzzler, Mike Potter 2002, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, Hikari Kura, bubblegum*girl, Ashley, TheUnknown, Silver Earth Dragon, Richan, Rouge1615, SilveRain, silver005 and androme 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews. Hope you like this chapter as well as the last one. This is not Beta-ed, the correct version will be up as soon as my Beta is finished.  
  
-Chapter Eight-  
  
  
  
Voldemort was annoyed; no, scratch that, he was pissed. First there was the idiotic, moronic, stupid, brainless pudding that called himself British Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Here he was trying to take over the world and scare the shit out of everyone, and Fudge didn't believe in his return, giving credit of all Voldemorts hard work to that comedian Rex Chase!  
  
That brought him to the second thing he was pissed off about. Rex Chase. This new martyr had somehow managed to foil almost every blasted plan of his, no matter how smart and cunning the Dark Lord had been. And he had declined Voldemorts offer to join the Death Eaters. Well, they hadn't exactly had the time to talk it over that much, he'd have to remedy that. Maybe a nice little deal between the two of them could insure Chases loyalty to him, or at least keep the annoying pest out of this war. He couldn't afford to have him as an enemy, the Dark Lord had his hands full already with Potter and Dumbledore.  
  
The third thing he was pissed about was the fact that every time he had approached one of the Old Vampires, they had either disappeared or declined to join him trying to assassin him to make their point clear. Most of the younger vampires had happily joined him at once. Voldemort sighed in frustration. The worst thing that could happen was that the Old Vampires had joined with Dumbledore and his little group; the best was if they had decided to stay neutral.  
  
Then there was the issue with a certain Victor Krum. He had been keeping an eye at the boy, and there was something off in the way the star Seeker acted these days. It wasn't the fact that Krum had joined Dumbledores 'secret' group; no, it was something else. He just couldn't pinpoint it.  
  
#Maassssteerrr,# Voldemort looked down at Nagini. The snake was lying by his feet looking up at him, adoration in her eyes. #What'sssss wrong?#  
  
#Nothing my beautiful one,# he replied. #Jussst sssssome problemssss with our enemiessss.#  
  
#The King of the Chassse?# the snake asked.  
  
#You alwaysss were ssssmart Nagini; yesss it'sss with the King and ssssssome otherssss.# Before the great snake could reply there was a knock on the door opposite the Dark Lords throne. "Come in!"  
  
A shaking Death Eater entered slowly, staggered up to the throne and fell to his knees.  
  
"My Lord, we have gotten hold of the thing you asked about." The Death Eater managed to say without stuttering.  
  
"Where is it then?" Voldemort growled.  
  
"In the room where you told us to put it Master, and everything's ready to be used."  
  
"You still have that prisoner you caught a few days ago?"  
  
"Yes My Lord, she's still alive. Narcissa Malfoy has been taking care of her just like you wanted her to."  
  
"Good, for once in your petty lives you idiots have actually done exactly what I wanted." The Dark Lord stood up and walked out of the room followed by Nagini.  
  
The Death Eater took off his white mask and let the hood fall down revealing silver-blond hair and grey, scared eyes. He looked at the mask in his hands first with wonder then with disgust, then with fear. He hurriedly put it back on, pulled the hood up and left the room.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Hermione sighed as she climbed into her bed. Tomorrow she would go back to Hogwarts, and to tell the truth she couldn't wait. The only downsides to this was that she would once again be close to the Forbidden Forest, and, not to mention, the war against the Dark Lord.  
  
The articles about Rex Chase hadn't really answered any of her questions; the guy mislead the interviewers every time they tried to get something out of him. Colin had gladly supplied her with the picture for the first article, and Professor Dumbledore had agreed to her plan after some persuasion. But the thing that had surprised her the most was the Rita Skeeter had actually kept her side of the deal, and printed exactly what Hermione had told her to.  
  
The Gryffindor girl turned off the light and went to sleep, her head filled with millions of questions and no answers.  
  
~*~  
  
She was running through something green and big. She slowed down and found herself in the middle of a dark forest. The Forbidden Forest, she was sure of it; she remembered that crooked, old tree from her first year.  
  
'Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic, don-' she looked to her right. A painful yelp had come from that direction, it was quickly followed by another one then something that sounded like cursing in a language she had never heard before.  
  
Hermione walked towards the sound despite herself; her curiosity taking control over her actions. She had to climb over a fallen trunk and up a little mountain, but in the end she stood at the top and looked into the tiny glen underneath her. The place was surrounded by steep huge rocks one every side, and the only way down was a tiny, rocky path right where she was standing. The glen itself had some trees and a brook was merrily floating through, the water looked like silver in the sunlight.  
  
Suddenly her eyes locked with a pair of glowing, yellow-orange inhuman eyes. In fact they didn't look like anything she had seen or read about. The yellow eyes held her gaze, they were filled with pain and sadness, then they looked away, and something black hid them from her sight.  
  
She wanted to cry out, demand the eyes to return; but something pulled at her and the glen was slowly disappearing.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione woke up to find her mother shaking her.  
  
"Come on dear, if you don't hurry up you'll be late for the Express." Mrs Granger said kindly then went out of the room to let her daughter dress alone.  
  
The bushy-haired girl jumped up, forgetting everything about the dream, and hurriedly began to make herself ready. Despite her fear she couldn't wait to get back!  
  
-------------------------  
  
'So did you or didn't you do it?' Harry asked the voice in his head as he walked through Kings Cross towards Platform 9 ¾.  
  
'I did it, why wouldn't I?' the voice replied.  
  
'You made such a fuss about it when I first suggested it. Soon we'll know what's wrong with Hermione and when it started.'  
  
'Don't think that it will go that easily Harry. If you want her to trust Quis enough to tell him what's wrong, you'll have to be patient.' The voice advised. 'You know, I'm beginning to wonder if you're going to have time for your studies at all this year.'  
  
'Yeah, me too.' Harry said as he stepped through the barrier separating the magical from the Muggle. 'Thank heavens I read through those books this summer.'  
  
'Yeah, and those other books from the Phoenix Library helped too. I still can't believe you actually would sink down to steeling!'  
  
' 'Steeling' is such a harsh word, I prefer 'borrowed without permission'. And I plan on putting them back before I die.'  
  
'Then I hope they don't need them anytime soon.' The voice mumbled.  
  
'What do you mean with that?' Harry asked curiously as he hauled his trunk down the wagons, trying to find an empty compartment.  
  
'Nothing, nothing. Hey, you just passed an empty one!'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry had been sitting and reading for quite a while before Ron and Hermione joined him. The redhead was talking either about Quidditch or the articles about Rex Chase, while Hermione was looking thoughtfully out of the window at the passing scenery.  
  
"Hey, Herm, you alright?" Ron asked in the end.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I asked if you were ok? Is something wrong?"  
  
"No, I'm alright. I was just thinking about a dream I had."  
  
"Do tell." Harry said. "Wanna talk about it?"  
  
"No, but thanks for asking anyway. Does any of you know who we'll have as Defence Teacher this year?"  
  
"As long as it isn't a Death Eater imposer, I'll be happy." Ron replied with a grimace.  
  
"You're wrong Ron," Harry said, "I would gladly take a Death Eater imposer any day if it meant that we didn't have to deal with someone like Gilderoy Lockhart."  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Well, so far we've had imposers, stuttering soul-selling fools, good werewolves, idiotic fame-hunters, and a human over a century old." Ron ticked them off his fingers. "We need a vampire, an Elf and a dwarf to complete the Picture of Crazy DADA Professors."  
  
"Maybe we could ask Binns about who hexed the Defence position." Hermione suggested.  
  
"I can just see it," Ron snorted. "Binns could even manage to make something as that sound stupid and boring. I think Fudge was the only one who paid any attention in that class."  
  
"Why?" Harry asked in amusement.  
  
"The class must've killed all his brain-cells, and that's why he acts like a complete idiot all the time."  
  
"You know, I think you're right."  
  
"You two actually agreed on something for a change." Harry observed, and had a hard time fighting his laughter when he saw his friends horrified faces.  
  
"We did not!" both of them yelled at the same time.  
  
"I rest my case."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Nothing unusual happened on rest of the journey to Hogwarts, and when the train stopped the trio quickly found an empty horse-less carriage. The trip to the front doors of the majestic castle was soon over, and the three of them walked once again into the Great Hall and took their seats at the Gryffindor table.  
  
Harry watched in amusement as the first years were led in through the doors by a very stern-looking McGonagall. As usual they were lined up in front of the Teachers Table, facing the other students. Flitwick hurriedly put the Sorting Hat on its stool, and everyone waited for the usual song that would come. And right one time, as usual, the Hat jumped and happily began to sing as loud as it could.  
  
'You know, those songs are getting worse and worse every year.' The voice in his head commented. 'I told Godric to put some brains into the thing, but does anyone listen to me? Nooooo! They just run off and get themselves killed!'  
  
'You knew Godric Gryffindor?' Harry asked.  
  
'...Gryffindor's the House for you!' the Sorting Hat sang.  
  
'Yep, or at least in the same manner we two know each other. We didn't meet until the guy died.'  
  
'Do you know what happened to the other Founders?'  
  
'Know, and know,' the voice replied. It sounded a bit uncertain about something or other. 'If you want to know what happened, why don't you ask Cian next time you visit him in the shape of Lily?'  
  
'Why the hell should I visit him in the shape of Lily?'  
  
'The staff thinks that he's married, and so will Neville once he hears the last name. They will expect Lily to visit him now and then, or at least send letters.'  
  
'Well, if you put it that way; I can certainly see the logic in it.' Harry concentrated back at the Sorting. Apparently the Hat had just finished as it was bowing to the four House tables amidst loud applause from everyone.  
  
"Now, when I call your names, please step up and put the Hat on your head; it will then decide what House you should be in." McGonagall said then unrolled the list, and looked at the first name. "Abrivan, Aggie!"  
  
A plump little girl with rose-red cheeks stepped over to the Hat and put it on. It took some time before the Hat decided that she was a Hufflepuff.  
  
"Aiko, Chen!"  
  
The Chinese boy quickly walked up to the Hat; and carefully, as if the thing would bite him, put it on his head.  
  
"RAVENCLAW!" the Hat yelled and the boy ran off to his table after taking it off.  
  
"Alcander, Acacia!"  
  
The only word that described the girl walking up to the Hat, was: Goth! Her hair was short and completely black, it also tuck out like spikes. From coal-black clothes to black lipstick and black eye-shadow to a pentagon- necklace around her neck.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat yelled almost instantly.  
  
The Gryffindors clapped politely albeit a bit uncertainly. Acacia Alcander sat down at the end of the table, right beside Harry. Ron and Hermione looked curiously at her, then turned back to the Sorting when she glared at them.  
  
"Welcome to Gryffindor," he whispered in amusement.  
  
"Thanks man." She replied without looking at him.  
  
"Amaris, Accalia!" the Headmistress called out.  
  
'I wonder...' Harry though as he watched the girl walk up to the Sorting Hat, showing no confidence at all.  
  
'Wonder what?' the voice asked.  
  
'This is just a suspicion, voice, nothing else; but 'Accalia' was the name of the foster mother of Romolus and Remus, those two twins that later founded Roma.'  
  
'Those two who were found by a she-wolf?'  
  
'Yes, those two. And 'Amaris' means 'child of the moon'.'  
  
'You think she's a werewolf?'  
  
'Just a suspicion, voice,' Harry replied. 'But we'll find out soon enough.'  
  
After sitting on the stool for almost ten minutes, the Hat finally decided to put Accalia Amaris in Gryffindor. The girl hurried off to the Gryffindor table, nearly tripping several times before she reached them and sat down right opposite Acacia Alcander. She kept her eyes fixed to the table throughout the rest of the Sorting, and didn't look up when McGonagall asked for silence, nor when Dumbledore began his yearly welcome-back speech.  
  
"Welcome back all of you. Old or new, big or small; it doesn't matter, Hogwarts welcomes back all of her children." The old Headmaster said. "I hope that you are ready for another year of learning, tests, Quidditch, exams; and, of course, fun. Let me state that the Forbidden Forest is just as the name indicates, forbidden; more so in these times with the Dark Lord back for full force."  
  
All of the younger students, mostly the first years though, looked horrified at this. The older ones didn't look too good either, and the teachers quickly put up expressionless masks. Harry looked over at Snape, and found the Potion Professor looking at the place where his Dark Mark would be under the robes. He touched it once before he managed to pull himself together, and once again glared at everyone in the Great Hall. It was then that Harry noticed that Cian wasn't sitting at the Teachers table.  
  
'Probably going to make one hell of an entrance,' he thought in amusement. 'The guy always liked to scare the shit out of everyone with his comings and goings........ Where in heavens name did that thought come from?'  
  
"As usual we have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year." Dumbledore continued. "He is going to patrol the Forbidden Forest along with our Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Rubeus Hagrid." Hagrid smiled a bit shyly and waved. "Please welcome Professor Theron Joyleaf."  
  
The doors of the Great Hall opened with a great bang, and the light in the Hall itself went out, leaving only a few lit torches here and there. Every student stared at the tall figure in the doorway. The white shoulder-long hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, the golden eyes sweeping over everyone in the room. The white tailor-made suit set him apart from the rest of them, almost like a knight in shining armour.  
  
//Fancy entrance Cian,// Harry commented calmly. //I think one first year fainted.//  
  
//Ha, ha, Mr Potter, and I think I forgot how to laugh over the centuries// the First Vampire replied just as calmly. //But just you wait 'til classes start; you'll be playing another tune then!//  
  
//I can't wait to see what you may have up your sleeve.//  
  
//You're worse than Athan!// Cian replied as he sat down at the Head Table beside Snape, voice loaded with amusement.  
  
//Well I had, and still have, a good teacher.//  
  
//Why in heavens name did I introduce the two of you to each other?!//  
  
//It's not that bad Cian, we just talked while he was there.//  
  
//And you want me to believe that? Please, I know Athan, and something always happens around him.//  
  
//No, I swear, nothing happened. Athan told me his story; in fact, he isn't even finished yet.//  
  
//That I can believe, that fledgling loves to tell the story of his life. When he is finished come to me and I'll tell you those embarrassing moments that he left out.//  
  
//Deal.//  
  
"Harry? Harry?!" Ron snapped his fingers in front of the green-eyed Gryffindors face.  
  
"Huh? What?"  
  
"Are you alright? You got a kind of far away look in your eyes; we thought that it might be connected to the Dark Lord." Hermione said.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking of the best way to execute the revenge on Malfoy."  
  
"You still haven't given up on that, have you?"  
  
"I'm a Gryffindor Herm," Harry replied. "I fight fire with fire... well, as long as it's inside the rules."  
  
"Since when did you care about rules?" Ron asked suspiciously. "And the rules of what?"  
  
"That's for me to know, and for you not to find out."  
  
"Right, like that's gonna keep us from snooping around."  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat, Herm." Harry warned them, smiling.  
  
"When did that stop you?" she retorted. "I think you've rubbed off on us."  
  
"Well excuse me for corrupting your virgin brain, Ms Granger." Laughing he quickly ducked the chicken leg Hermione threw at him. "Oh, woe me! Innocent Maid Hermione Granger threw food! The world's going to end!"  
  
Even Hermione couldn't keep a straight face any longer. She laughed along with the rest of the table; even some of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were chuckling. The Slytherins were glaring at the merry group. All in all it was a wonderful feast.  
  
-------------------------  
  
I know, stupid ending; but bear with me people. Now, anyone want to know the story of Athan's life as he told it to Harry? If so, tell me in your review.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
QuidBrm, Naia, Arizosa, Rachel A. Prongs, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, WolfMoon, Rouge1615, Confuzzler, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, Nkari, JUDGEMENT, RJLL, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Korinna Myorin, Hermione HP, Amber Evans Potter, coconut-ice agent h/h, daemonhart, Cheddar, Sakura Le, Blizzard, Siri Kat, Arianne, Ruskbyte, Miranda Flairgold, Trance Snape, A- man and Ashley for reviewing.  
  
Thanks to Ryshora for Beta-ing this chapter. And Miranda, I'm neither of them, but thanks for the compliment. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Hope you like this chapter as well as the last. Not Beta-ed. The correct version will be up as soon as my Beta is finished.  
  
-Chapter Nine-  
  
  
  
Harry watched as everyone in the Great Hall got their timetables from McGonagall. Soon enough she had reached him and handed him three timetables.  
  
"What's this?" he asked.  
  
"Two of those are for Mr Weasley and Ms Granger, Mr Potter." The Gryffindor Head of House explained. "Please give them to your friends when they get here."  
  
"Yes Professor." Harry replied. He looked over his own timetable. 'Defence with the Slytherins first thing?! Well, might as well start the day off with a bang.'  
  
Ron and Hermione choose that moment to enter the Great Hall, followed by the Gryffindor first years. The newest additions to the House were listening carefully to what his friends told them, gasping and giggling. Nearly Headless Nick floated past them and greeted them. Most of the first years just gaped.  
  
"Hello Sir Nicholas." Hermione greeted politely. "Is everything well?"  
  
"Very well, thank you," the ghost replied. "How was your summers?"  
  
"Wonderful." Ron said, then turned to the tiny first years. "This is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, the resident House ghost of Gryffindor House." The ghost in question looked proud of the fact that Ron hadn't called him by his nickname. "He's also known as Nearly Headless Nick." The proud face quickly disappeared.  
  
"Nearly headless?" the gothic girl, Acacia Alcander, spoke up. "How can you be nearly headless?"  
  
Harry felt a strange sense of déjà vu at that moment, as Hermione had asked the same thing the first time they had met the ghost in their first year.  
  
"Like this." Sir Nicholas pulled on his head, and it fell onto one shoulder, held in place only by a thin piece of transparent skin. The ghost looked smug when several of the kids gasped and screamed, even Acacia went paler than she already was. He put his head back on and floated over to the Fat Friar from Hufflepuff, and the two of them started chatting about something or other.  
  
"Come on!" Hermione cut in. "Get something to eat, then hurry off to classes. If you need help finding the classroom, or are lost, ask a painting or ghost, and they will help you; just watch out for Peeves the Poltergeist and the moving staircases."  
  
The group headed to the Gryffindor Table and sat down. Ron and Hermione sat opposite Harry, while Acacia Alcander once again took the seat at the end on the table, right beside him.  
  
"Here." Harry said handing them their timetables.  
  
"Thanks." Hermione replied as she read through it, while at the same time reaching for a piece of bread. "Defence first thing with the Slytherins."  
  
"What a way to start the day!" Ron complained. "There's nothing worse than sharing the first class of the day with the Slytherins... No, wait, there is! Potion first thing with the Slytherins, which we have on Friday. What are the teachers trying to do? Kill us?!"  
  
"Don't hyperventilate Ron." Harry said, calmly munching on a toast. "At least we have Hagrid right after Potions."  
  
"Great! If we don't die in one class, the next is certainly going to take care of that!"  
  
"He ain't a mornin' person, is he?"  
  
Harry turned and smiled at Acacia who was sitting beside him. She was looking at Ron, amusement clearly written all over her pale face. Once again the black lipstick and eye-shadow was on, along with the pentagon- necklace around her neck.  
  
"Not when the first class is Potions, or when we have to share the first class with the Slytherins." He replied. "And this year we have every first class with the Slytherins, so he's going to be extremely grumpy." The eleven-year old giggled.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Defence class should've started ten minutes ago, yet there was no sign of Cian anywhere. The rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins either gossiped amongst each other, or discretely tried to hex people from the other house.  
  
"Where is the Professor?" Hermione asked looking worriedly around. "Do you think something happened to him?"  
  
"Trust me, you'd have to be out of your mind to try to attack him." Harry replied. "Ron, stop trying to curse Malfoy," he said without looking at the redhead. "The Professor could come in any second now."  
  
"But-" Ron didn't get further. The door to the classroom banged open in the same manner the doors to the Great Hall had last night, and in came Cian; arms loaded with books and parchments.  
  
"Sorry I'm late, couldn't find my way here." He put everything on the desk, then turned to the class. "As you know, I'm Theron Joyleaf," the vampire looked straight at Neville, who tried not to gulp. "First I want to see what you learned in this class the last five years, and if you remember it. You won't need your bags this time, but take them with you in case this takes more time than expected. Follow me."  
  
The class looked curiously at each other, then hurried out after their new teacher. They followed Cian down several old corridors that didn't seem like they had been in use for ages. Once they ran into Peeves, but when the Poltergeist saw the Professor he went deathly pale and disappeared as fast as possible.  
  
//Cian, do you have any idea where we're going?// Harry asked the First Vampire.  
  
//Certainly, Mr Potter,// came the reply. //We're going to the old Duelling classroom.//  
  
//Oh no.//  
  
//Oh yes.//  
  
'This is all your fault, you know.' The voice told him. 'If you hadn't tricked Cian into taking the Defence job, you wouldn't have to meet him in a duel. And you can bet that the guy looks forward to meeting you.'  
  
'Thanks pointing out the obvious.'  
  
'You're welcome!'  
  
'I'm sooooo dead.'  
  
'No shit Sherlock.' The voice replied. 'By the way, Kanchigai has replied to your last letter. It's waiting for you in the room opposite Sir Cadogan. What are you going to do about that werewolf-suspicion of yours?'  
  
'Well, tomorrow's the full moon, so all I have to do is follow the girl around after dinner.'  
  
'And what about Hermione and Quis? When do you plan on letting them meet?'  
  
'Not until I need it, or something happens. Oh good god, we're here.'  
  
'Good luck.' The voice told him. 'I was just wondering, what do you want the inscription on your tombstone to say?'  
  
'Optimistic, aren't you?' Harry replied. Squaring his shoulders determinately he walked into the room first, followed by the rest of the class.  
  
'And what do you call yourself then?'  
  
'Realistic.'  
  
'I give up!'  
  
'Good, I need to concentrate.'  
  
'Ah, you have a plan! Tell me!'  
  
'Bugger off.'  
  
'Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!'  
  
'After I'm finished with the duel.'  
  
'Spoilsport.'  
  
The room was bigger than a normal classroom, yet not as big as the Great Hall or the Entrance Hall. There were four windows in the room, all of them right up with the high ceiling. More than two hundred years worth of dust was lying on the floor, and the walls weren't exactly clean either.  
  
Cian stopped right inside the door to the room with the class behind him. He looked around the room, sneering in disgust at the dust and the dirty walls. He shook his head, then made an elegant gesture with his hand. A second later most of the dust was gone, and the walls looked somewhat clean.  
  
The students could now make out lines here and there on the floor, and it was clear that the walls had once been white marble. The vampire looked critically at his work, shook his head once again, then turned to the class.  
  
"This is the old Duelling room, where students were taught to duel both Muggle and magical. Now, as I understand, last year you had an Elf teach you the Muggle ways of duelling, and a Duelling class with the Defence Professor." Several heads nodded. "Then this shouldn't be too difficult. When I call your name, walk to the muddle of the room and position yourself in the correct starting position. Then we'll duel."  
  
The students gaped and stuttered, Harry himself didn't feel too confident and Neville looked close to fainting.  
  
"W-we're supposed t-to duel with you?!" Pansy Parkingson shrieked.  
  
"Who else?" Cian asked her, making it sound like a normal, every-day question.  
  
"Each other!" the Slytherin girl shrieked back. "Gryffindors against Slytherins! Or girls against boys! Or girls versus girls, and boys versus boys!"  
  
//Imaginative little girl, isn't she?// the vampire thought in amusement.  
  
//Don't get used to it.// Harry replied.  
  
"Until I know at what lever you're standing, Ms Parkingson, I don't dare to put you up against each other; especially not Gryffindors against Slytherins." He walked to the centre of the room, then once again turned back to the students. "Now, if no one has any more objections, shall we start?" he was met with dead silence. "Good. First up: Brown, Lavender."  
  
The girl in question visibly gulped before she got a determined look on her face, drew her wand and walked up to Cian.  
  
//I was wondering if that infamous Gryffindor courage hadn't disappeared since I last visited this school.//  
  
//Well, that depends on how you look at it.// Harry replied. //Slytherins would call Gryffindors bloody, idiotic goody two-shoes who run headlong into everything.//  
  
//To each his own.// The First Vampire replied. "Are you ready Ms Brown?" Lavender nodded, squaring her shoulders. "Then we begin."  
  
"Wait! Where's your wand?"  
  
"Not everyone needs those silly sticks to perform magic." Cian said. "Expelliarmus!"  
  
Lavender squealed and ducked the sudden attack.  
  
"Stupefy!" she yelled pointing her wand at the Professor who wasn't there anymore.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Cian said from somewhere behind her. Lavenders wand flew into the air and the vampire caught it neatly. "Nice going Ms Brown. Here's your wand," he handed the piece of wood back to its rightful owner. "Next is Bulstrode, Millicent."  
  
The Slytherin girl stood proudly in front of the Professor, as if she was daring him to even think about hexing her. The First Vampire didn't even blink before he shot a Cheering Charm at the girl, who, a second later, doubled over laughing.  
  
The Slytherins groaned. They had just been humiliated in front of Gryffindors!  
  
It went on like that. Cian would call out a name, the student would go up to him, get beaten and then step down. Hermione, Ron, and Malfoy were the only ones that lasted more than a few seconds.  
  
//Strategic move vampire,// Harry said in amusement. //Get rid of the rest of the class, and take your time with me. The joy of Telepathic abilities, eh?//  
  
//Yes, well, with you it is going to be very interesting.// The immortal replied as he knocked out yet another student. //Since I cannot read your thoughts, I won't know your next move. It's going to be a challenge.//  
  
//Yes, it is.// Harry replied as the vampire called his name. They bowed respectfully to each other and got into the starting positions.  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
Harry ducked it easily, and retorted with a Disarming Charm.  
  
The duel drew out; neither of them seemed ready to give up and both were too stubborn to forfeit it to the other. The rest of the class watched with interest as Potter duelled with Professor Joyleaf. The Slytherins didn't know if the fact that Potter still hadn't lost was a good thing or not, while the Gryffindors were cheering their champion on.  
  
//You're better than I first thought.// The First Vampire commented as he ducked a Cheering Charm.  
  
//I have to be,// Harry replied waiting for the vampire to make the next move, and jumped out of the way when the hex came. //With Voldemort running around like a headless chicken, and the Pretender-work I do, lets say that duelling is crucial.//  
  
//How about we call it quits for now, and continue another time? You're going to be late for your next class.//  
  
//Alright, we'll continue another time.// Harry stopped and straightened up, Cian did the same. Then they met in the middle of the room and shook hands.  
  
"Very good Mr Potter," Cian said so that the whole room could hear it. "We will have to continue this another time, and see who comes out as the victor. But for now class is over. Dismissed!"  
  
-------------------------  
  
"Wow! Where did you learn to duel like that?!" Seamus asked as they walked towards Charms.  
  
"Picked it up here and there; but mostly from my encounters with the Dark Lord." Harry replied while checking his book-bag for quills and parchment. "Damn!"  
  
"What is it?" Hermione looked at him worriedly.  
  
"I've forgotten parchment. No, I won't borrow anything from the rest of you. I know for a fact the you barely have enough yourselves."  
  
"What are you going to do about it then?"  
  
"I'm going back to Gryffindor tower and find my parchments." Harry pushed them towards the Charms classroom. "There's no need for the rest of you to be late as well. Go ahead. I won't be long."  
  
"If you insist." Lavender said.  
  
"We'll tell Flitwick where you are if he asks." Parvati reassured him.  
  
"Yeah, and Harry, if you see Trevor jumping around the common room, catch him and put him back in his box for me, will you?"  
  
"Sure Neville."  
  
"Come on!" Dean said. "The Ravenclaws have already arrived."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry was about to round the last corner before entering the corridor with the painting of the Fat Lady, when he heard someone crying.  
  
'Quickly,' the voice in his head spoke up. 'Turn into a white, royal- looking, wolf!'  
  
'Ah, Accalia Amaris. Must say I didn't plan to see if I was right until tonight.' Harry replied as he pictured the perfect wolf inside his head, then began to force himself to change shape.  
  
'Plans change, Harry, never forget that; and you are going to visit her tonight too if she is a werewolf. Trust me on that one.' The voice was silent for a while. 'Wonderful shape, couldn't have done it better myself.'  
  
'Thanks. You won't mind if I ad a few effects to this?'  
  
'Be my guest. You still have to tell me what your plan for the duelling with Cian was.'  
  
'Later, voice. Let the Game begin.'  
  
Harry trotted around the corner. Accalia Amaris was sitting by the Fat Lady, her knees drawn up to her chest. She had her arms wrapped around them, and her head resting on her arms. Her dark brown hair spilled all over the place. The little body was shaking with the effort to keep the sobs to a minimum.  
  
He used the shadows to his advantage, and sneaked up to the tiny girl. Harry drew himself up to the full height the wolf-form would allow, affected the air of an ancient and magical creature, then nuzzled the girls cheek.  
  
Golden-brown eyes met unnatural piercing green. Accalia looked him up and down, no fear showing on her face. Harry nuzzled her again, and she threw her arms around him, buried her face in his fur and started to cry once again.  
  
//What's wrong cub?// he asked. She drew back in shock, and stared at him as if he had grown another head.  
  
"Y-you c-can speak?"  
  
//Mind-speech, cub; but what's wrong?// Harry replied patiently.  
  
"I-I'm..."  
  
//You're what?// he probed gently when the girl stopped.  
  
"I change into a wolf every full moon." She whispered.  
  
//Ah, you're what the humans call a werewolf then.//  
  
"Yes."  
  
//Then what's wrong?// Harry asked once again. //You don't like your wolf- form?//  
  
"It's not that, I like being a wolf. But I'm afraid."  
  
//Of what?//  
  
"The future. Humans don't take well to werewolves. What's to become of me when I'm finished here at Hogwarts?"  
  
//What about your pack? What about play-mates?//  
  
"My family are trying their best to give me a normal upbringing, and I have no friends. I'm afraid that I'll hurt them if they follow me one night."  
  
'Voice, I'll need your help here. I need the sound of footsteps coming closer.'  
  
'You got it mate.' Was the reply, and a second later the 'footsteps' could be heard, gradually getting louder and louder.  
  
//I have to go cub.// Harry said to Accalia. The girl refused to let go of his fur. //I'll pick you up tonight when you change. I promise, you won't be alone in this.//  
  
"A-alright."  
  
Harry gave the girl an encouraging wolf-smile, nuzzled her cheek one more time and slowly and gradually turned himself invisible. To Accalia it would look as if he was dissolving into thin air.  
  
When he was sure that all of him was gone, Harry apparated to the corner where he had changed into the wolf, changed back into himself and walked around the corner.  
  
"Hey," he said as he reached her. "What are you doing out here?"  
  
"I-I couldn't r-remember the password." The girl replied. "I-I forgot m-my book-bag this morning in the common room. C-could you help me?"  
  
"Sure, no problem. The password is 'redhaired pranksters'." The Fat Lady opened with a cheery nod to Harry, and the two students entered. "I'm Harry."  
  
"A-Accalia." Accalia said and shook his hand after staring at it for a while.  
  
"Pleased to meet you Accalia." He found his parchment on a chair under Crookshanks who was using them as a bed. "Off with you Crookshanks, if you don't behave I'll tell Hermione about it, and you don't want to go through another training session do you?" the cat looked at him in horror, then was suddenly hiding under the couch.  
  
Accalia sniggered, but stopped when he turned back to her.  
  
"It's alright to laugh Accalia, no one's going to hurt you for it," Harry said and smiled. "Don't worry, Hermione just tends to bug her animals. It's a phase-sort-of-thing. Two years ago she fought for House Elf rights, demanding that the House Elves got paid for the work they did and got holiday and so on."  
  
"She's one of those people, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, can be quite annoying at times, but she's the best person in the world. Especially if you need help with homework. She's practically a walking library." Harry told her as they exited the common room. "Now, what was your next class?"  
  
"Potions with Slytherin." Accalia replied. "And I've no idea how to get there."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll take you there. Professor Snape can be, um, slightly annoyed if a student is late for class."  
  
"But what about your class?"  
  
"Oh, nothing to worry about, I'll just ask Hermione later." The tiny girl laughed freely this time. "And besides, I have a message for the Professor anyway."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Your welcome."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry knocked on the door to the Potion classroom.  
  
"Come in!" came the sneered reply. He opened the door and let Accalia enter first. "Ah, Ms Amaris, how nice of you to finally show up. I'm afraid that will be t-"  
  
"Professor, may I speak with you?" Harry asked putting a supportive hand on the shaking girls shoulder.  
  
Snape glared down at him, but he refused to be intimidated by the Potion Master. The class followed the glaring contest in slight awe.  
  
"Can't it wait Potter?" the Professor sneered. Accalia looked at him in surprise. "If you hadn't noticed, I'm in the middle of a class, which you also should be."  
  
"I'm afraid that this cannot wait." Harry replied. //Come on Snape, this bloody Polyjuice is running out, and I don't have anything left!//  
  
Surprise flashed through those coal-black eyes, but it was quickly hidden.  
  
"I trust you can manage without me for a few minutes, and hopefully not blow something up in the process." Then the man stalked towards the door. "Well, what are you waiting for Potter?"  
  
Harry quickly followed him out of the classroom. When Snape closed the door, he let himself change into Rex Chase again. He stretched and rubbed his neck.  
  
"God, I hate using Polyjuice."  
  
"Then why do you do it?"  
  
"You think that the rest of the school would've let me go after those charming articles in the Daily Prophet?" Harry walked around a bit, pretending to stretch his legs. "Even if one student as much as glimpsed me, the Ministry would be here five seconds later."  
  
"What are you doing here, and what's so important that it couldn't wait until the class was over?"  
  
"I'm here to tell you that I'm leaving for a long period of time," Harry replied. "But a couple of my friends will take my place and report back to you."  
  
"And why are you telling me this?"  
  
"Because then you can tell it to the Headmaster, and you won't hurt my friends when they finally show up." Snape raised an eyebrow. "They're kinda weird-looking, but the heart's where it should be... at least I think it is. Not too sure with Quis though."  
  
"Alright, alright; what are their names?"  
  
"Quis, Joyleaf, Mayon, Ze-"  
  
"Hold it! Joyleaf?! The same Joyleaf as the DADA teacher?"  
  
"Yeah. As I was saying; Quis, Joyleaf, Mayon, Zev, Athan and Ramses. One warning though, Mayon and Quis aren't exactly what you'd call normal."  
  
"Sure, sure, how are you going to get out of here?" Snape asked looking nervously at the classroom door, expecting an explosion to happen any second.  
  
"There's a secret passage here in the dungeons that only lets people out, but not in." Harry started to walk down the corridor. "Say 'hi' to the RAV for me, will you?" he disappeared into the shadows, leaving a slightly stunned Potion Master to return to his still intact classroom.  
  
-------------------------  
  
~*~  
  
"Remus!"  
  
He ran as fast as his paws could carry him.  
  
"Reemuuusss!"  
  
That voice. He needed to find the owner of that voice. It was important. Could save lives, he was sure of it.  
  
"Remusssssss..." it ended with a whisper. Like a wind bowling softly through the treetops above his head.  
  
Darkness. The full moon was gone, as were the stars. He was falling into a pit of darkness. Alone. No, wait! There was some light over there. Walk towards it. Hurry! Something's closing in on your tail. Run! Almost there!  
  
The light disappeared. The darkness had him. Hopeless.  
  
~*~  
  
Remus Lupin sat up in his bed, bathed in sweat. The dream in itself wasn't scary, it was the feelings and emotions he had that was the scary part.  
  
He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed. He had had the same dream for a couple of weeks now, and each time the light disappeared just as he reached it. He looked over at the couch. Sirius was sleeping soundly in his dog-form, tail wagging now and then and small, satisfied yelps came from him.  
  
'At least someone has a good time.' He thought as he threw off the sheets and went into the bathroom.  
  
Remus found his toothbrush and toothpaste, and started brushing his teeth and everything with his eyes closed. He yawned. God, that dream felt so real. His eyes fluttered open and he lost his brush and his mouth dropped open.  
  
There, in the mirror, where his reflection should be, was a wolf-head. And it was looking straight at him.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Well, what do you think? Longer than the others, but don't expect it every time. Please review.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Korinna Myorin, WolfMoon, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, Naia, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, Justice Seeker, Sophie W., Mike Potter 2002, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, MythX, A-man, RJLL, JUDGEMENT, aurora*sky, Rachel A. Prongs, BloodRedSword, Arizosa, Usa Yui and Usa Kou, Ruskbyte, Hermione HP, Rouge1615, smg, Miranda Flairgold, daemonhart, Ashley, Dragonsbane, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, Amber Evans Potter, coconut-ice agent h/h, Dragonhope, TheUnknown, Richan, Bookworm, Old Fawkes, npetrenko, SilveRain, Blizzard, The Fierce Deity, God of War; Icewind Stormfire, Exploding Snap, Alexandra, Witchmaster, Liza Potter, bubblegum*girl.  
  
DAEMONHART! I need your mail address, I've lost it! And ATHAN'S LIFE STORY will be posted as soon as I can be bothered to type it up. It'll be under HP, and I guarantee that you'll recognise it once you see the title. Thanks for all the reviews! 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Sorry for not updating this before; I've had a bit of a Writers Block with this. Anyways here's chapter ten. Hope you enjoy, and please review.  
  
-Chapter Ten-  
  
  
  
In a moment of blind panic Remus thought that the wolf-head was his; then he started to notice differences. The thick, rich fur was snow-white; the eyes a piercing, unnatural green; and nothing of the wolfs body could be seen.  
  
The werewolf blinked rapidly several times, and stared at the head.  
  
The wolf in the mirror smiled fondly at him, then looked straight into his eyes.  
  
Remus got sudden flashes of pictures in his head. They repeated over and over again until he realised what they showed him. The first one was of Hogwarts in all her glory, the next was a picture of the Shrieking Shack; then came a picture of a young girl with dark brown hair changing into a wolf; and in the end came a picture of himself in his wolf form meeting up with the girl.  
  
What was weird with werewolves was that the wolf in them aged just as slowly as the human. If his calculations were right, then the girl he saw would be around eleven years old; in other words, as wolf she would still be a young cub. She would need his help to get somewhat control of the wolf in her.  
  
He looked back to the mirror, only to find his own pale reflection looking back at him. The white wolf was gone.  
  
Hoping that Sirius and Dumbledore wouldn't kill him, Remus quickly got dressed, wrote a note to his Marauder in crime, took a vial of Wolfsbane Potion with him, and headed out the door and towards Hogwarts.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry entered the room guarded by Cadogan. Classes were finished, and most of the students had run to the library to first get hold of those books they knew they were going to need to do their homework.  
  
The room didn't look any different from the last time he had been there; and on the table in the middle was the letter from Kanchigai, just like the voice had told him.  
  
'I was beginning to wonder if she hadn't forgotten about her end of the deal.' He thought as he picked it up. A crown surrounded by a dragon biting its own tail made the seal. 'Please tell me that that's her family-seal and that she didn't get it into her head to make a seal for Rex Chase.'  
  
'I'm afraid it's the second one Harry.' The voice replied. 'She's somewhat of a... um, cliché person.'  
  
'Why do I always end up with those people?' Harry asked as he opened the letter.  
  
'You can ask Fate and Destiny, but don't expect an answer.'  
  
'So what else is new? I never get an answer from you either.' He scanned through the letter, then smiled triumphantly. 'It seems as though having an apprentice Seer on the team is a good thing. She found the books about ancient creatures two days after I left, and is currently trying to translate them.'  
  
'Where were they?'  
  
'The Order Headquarters in Brazil.'  
  
'I knew it! I knew it!'  
  
'What did you know?'  
  
'That she was a true Seer.'  
  
'Care to explain?' Harry asked as he exited the room and waived to Sir Cadogan. The tiny knight was currently trying to get his horse to stop eating and charge a butterfly that had settled down in the picture.  
  
'Her predictions are weird. If she says that you'll win lots of money, you'll in reality loose lots of money.'  
  
'A backwards prediction, eh? That could come in handy.' Harry thought in amusement.  
  
'Depends on how you see it. The Order of the Phoenix find it extremely annoying.'  
  
'That's what you get when you have no imagination at all. They hate changes and don't know how to take advantage of them.'  
  
'Don't underestimate them Harry,' the voice warned. 'They may not be the best, but they're a tightly knit Order. Think of them as bees. One bee can't do much damage, but a whole flock of them can be deadly.'  
  
Harry was about to reply when he saw Snape. The man seemed in one hell of a hurry to get somewhere. Deciding that it could be interesting to see where the Potion Master was headed, Harry followed him at a safe distance. He had just entered the Defence corridor when he saw the door to Cians office closing.  
  
'Oooo, this is going to be fun!'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Severus Snape quickly walked down the corridor towards the office of one Theron Joyleaf, if that was the guys real name. He needed to talk to the golden-eyed man; and now was the perfect opportunity.  
  
He glared at a couple of Hufflepuff third years, then knocked on the door to the office.  
  
"Come in!" The Slytherin Head of House entered. Joyleaf was sitting behind his desk, looking over material for tomorrows Defence classes. The man looked up when Severus cleared his throat. "Ah, Severus, what can I do for you?"  
  
"We need to talk."  
  
"Oh? What about?" Joyleaf mentioned to a couple of chairs by the fireplace. As they sat down the pale man took up a cup and teapot. "Tea?"  
  
"No thanks." Severus nearly growled when Joyleaf happily poured himself some and began to choose what kind of flavour he wanted. This man reminded him so much of Dumbledore that it was scary. He wondered if they were related.  
  
"Well then, what did you want to talk about?" golden eyes focused on him.  
  
"A mutual acquaintance by the name of Rex Chase."  
  
"Yes, Rex did mention that you might drop by sooner or later. I take it he has already told you that he'll be gone for some time then?"  
  
"Yes, indeed he has." Severus replied smoothly. "I need a few questions answered about him and you; I'm afraid that the Headmaster insisted upon it before he could accept your help." A blatant lie, but hopefully a good one.  
  
Joyleaf looked amused for some reason or other. The golden eyes were sparkling in the firelight; the pale skin almost reflecting the flames, reminding him of white marble. Something nagged him, but he pushed the thought away for later examinations. Right now he needed to focus solely on the man in front of him, and play the Big Game carefully.  
  
"What questions did Albus want answered?" Joyleaf asked. "I'll try to answer them to the best of my abilities; but remember, not even I know everything about Rex Chase." The golden eyes glowed slightly, and this time it wasn't the fires fault. The man was doing some serious wandless magic; and it put Severus on his guard at once. He hadn't survived being a spy for all those years by being trusting and thick-headed like any Gryffindor.  
  
"How long have you known him?" the Potion Master asked.  
  
"You might say we have known each other forever," Joyleaf replied lightly. "We go way back."  
  
'Why do I get the feeling that there's a double meaning hidden in that answer?' Severus thought suspiciously to himself. "Chase mentioned some others in this little... for a lack of a better word, group of yours-"  
  
"Zev, Athan, Ramsis, Quis and Mayon."  
  
"Yes, them; what can you tell me about them?" the man opposite him raised an eyebrow. "Chase wasn't exactly specific about anything; and Albus needs to know so that the Light side doesn't attack them when they finally show up."  
  
"Zev's a bit like you, Severus," Joyleaf looked amused again. "I think you'd like him. Athan may be a prankster, but he's a damn good strategist. Ramsis is the groups bookworm, but don't judge a book by its cover. And Quis and Mayon are two of the weirdest creatures you can, or will, ever meet."  
  
Severus was boiling with rage. That wasn't at all what he had wanted to hear from Joyleaf, and he suspected that the other man knew it. It seemed as though Rex' friends were exactly like him: annoying, stupid and completely misleading comedians.  
  
"How long have the seven of you known each other?" the ex-Death Eater asked. There was time to release his anger later; preferable by dealing out a few detentions to those miniature monsters that he had to teach every day. "I mean, how long have you been fighting the Dark."  
  
"Whoever said we were fighting the Dark?"  
  
"Chase gave the impression of firmly being on the side of the Light." Joyleaf hadn't touched his tea since it had been poured. Interesting.  
  
"Yes, he has a gift for doing that." Joyleaf picked up the cup and drank. What was he? A mind-reader? "We're more or less freelance wizards," he continued. "We join the side which has the best chance of winning. This time it's the Light side; next time it might be the Dark side."  
  
Severus looked at his watch. It was high time to get out of here and back to his dungeons.  
  
"I am sorry, Theron, but I have to go." The Slytherin Head of House excused himself and stood up. "I have a couple of detentions to deal with."  
  
"Of course." Joyleaf, looking amused once again, stood up too, followed him to the door and opened it for him. "It was nice talking to you Severus; we really must repeat the experience. Tell Albus to just drop by if he needs some field work done or anything. Have fun with your detentions, and please refrain from scaring the poor students to the seventh hell."  
  
Severus nodded courtly and started walking down the corridor, hearing the door shut after him. The only thing he had gotten out of this meeting was hundreds of new questions and almost no answers. And why in heavens name did he feel like he had made a complete fool out of himself?  
  
'Damn Chase, damn Joyleaf, and damn Voldemort!' he thought angrily as he stalked down the corridor. 'One more thing: DAMN POTTER!' Severus had just rounded the corner, exiting the hallway where the Defence classroom was located, when he spotted Potter himself sitting in an alcove and reading a book named 'Ivanhoe'. 'Talk about the devil.'  
  
Potter looked up when Severus' shadow fell over him. Green eyes twinkling merrily behind thick glasses.  
  
"Anything I can help you with Professor?"  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact you can Potter; tell Rex Chase and that Theron Joyleaf not to play with fire. In the end, they might get burned."  
  
"I will Professor, but I'm not sure they'll listen to me." The Gryffindor replied politely.  
  
Severus growled and stalked off, barely refraining from cursing a couple of Ravenclaw first years who nearly didn't get out of his way in time.  
  
'Once again: DAMN YOU POTTER!'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry smiled as the Potion Master stalked down the corridor and out of sight. He transfigured the book back into Kanchigai's letter, and headed to the Entrance Hall. It was already dark, and he had to keep an eye at Accalia Amaris tonight.  
  
//Quite the performance Cian, I'm impressed.//  
  
//Why, thank you. It's good to know that my skills are still intact.// Came the chuckled reply. //But really, I couldn't have done it without you. I had absolutely no idea that you were planning on bringing some of my vampires into this mess. And Quis and Mayon? Really Harry, when are you going to stop annoying the hell out of the Dark Lord and give him some slack?//  
  
//My feelings on that subject are very well known to everyone, vampire. The day I give slack to Voldemort, is the day I die. And according to sources, that won't be for a long while yet.//  
  
//Severus hates you almost as much as that snakefaced creature, you know.// Cians voice was suddenly serious.  
  
//By the time I'm finished with this, he's going to hate me even more.//  
  
//And you aren't worried?//  
  
//Why should I be?//  
  
//The man is quite versed in the Dark Arts, my friend; and he is a Potion Master. Those two ingredients together make a deadly brew.//  
  
'Tell that... that pompous ancient that I would never allow one of MY agents to get hurt by some ex-Death Eater with a grudge!' the voice sounded outraged for some reason Harry couldn't fathom. 'Oh, and tell him to stop sounding like Dumbledore. It scares the hell out of me to hear him like that.'  
  
Harry chuckled and forwarded the message.  
  
He sighed as he entered the Forbidden Forest. Hopefully Dumbledore would forgive him if the old mage found him in here; if not then Rex Chase or Mayon would quickly clear up the mess.  
  
'Voice, you know where Remus is at the moment?' Harry asked as he headed towards the Shrieking Shack.  
  
'One moment...... ah, yes, he just entered the forest about a kilometre east of you. he has taken the Wolfsbane and now only awaits the arrival of the full moon.'  
  
'Hmmm, perhaps I could use that to my advantage, and take one charge off my hands.'  
  
'What, you have a plan? Lets hear it!'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Remus fell to his knees as the full moon rose above the treetops. The wolf inside him wanted out; the change began. His bones rearranged themselves, some disappeared while others took their place. He grew fur, a snout, ears and an elegant tail.  
  
He took a few moments to get used to the wolf-form, then began to run towards the Shrieking Shack.  
  
'I must remember to thank Severus for the Wolfsbane.' He thought to himself as he jumped over a fallen log.  
  
He ran and he ran for what seemed like an eternity. The forest around him was getting darker and darker; in the end he couldn't even see the moonlight.  
  
'The dream!' Remus' mind cried.  
  
He looked around in panic. Something was closing in on him from behind. He turned his head and got a glimpse of several long, thick, hairy legs.  
  
'The Acromantulas!'  
  
He ran even faster but the spiders were quickly closing in on him. One of them grabbed after his tail but he jumped out of the way just in time, then he had to duck to avoid another spider who attacked from the left.  
  
'~Luna help me!~' he howled. He had run into the giant spiders of the Forbidden Forest before, but Prongs and Padfoot had always been there. The proud stag had easily speared several of the spiders with its horns and the grim-like dog had badly hurt and even killed dozens of them, before the Acromantulas had decided that it was smarter to leave the group alone.  
  
There, up head, in between the trees! Something flashing! He ran towards it, putting all of his hopes into this last sprint.  
  
As he came closer and closer the light grew more and more, in the end it looked like a star. The spiders screeched and ran away from the light; Remus himself could hardly see where he was putting his paws, but he kept going. This time the light wasn't going to disappear before he reached it.  
  
Suddenly he stumbled and fell. Those spiders that were left jumped at him at once. He managed to roll onto his back and kicked the first spider away with his hind legs. The second suffered the same fate. However, the third had watched and learned from its kin's mistakes. Instead of attacking straight on, it began to poke the werewolf with one long leg. The others followed his example.  
  
Remus was so occupied trying to keep the spiders away form him, that he didn't notice that the light had grown stronger and was still growing. It wasn't until the spiders turned and fled that he noticed the difference.  
  
He slowly got to his feet, ignoring the numerous scratches and cuts, and looked up. His jaw fell open, and he was sure he looked like a complete idiot.  
  
In front of him stood a huge white royal-looking wolf. Long elegant, but powerful legs held the proud creature up; the body was well muscled, not a single bit of extra fat on it. The fur was rich and thick, shining almost ethereal silver. Green, piercing eyes stared fondly at him; an amused twinkle endlessly shining in them.  
  
It was the same wolf he had seen in his bathroom mirror.  
  
'~By the moon herself...~' Remus muttered, not realising he had spoken out loud.  
  
The white wolf smiled in its own way and walked over to him. It took a round, looking at him from every side, and stopped again front of him. It nuzzled his cheek before biting him playfully in the ear.  
  
Remus' instincts kicked in, and he was about to repay the little nibble when the wolf suddenly just wasn't there anymore. He looked around and spotted the magnificent creature several yards away. The white wolf was sending him playfully challenging looks and signals, and Remus wasn't about to disappoint the ancient animal.  
  
He ran after the animal; and once again, when he tried to repay the nibble, it wasn't there. The white wolf was standing a dozen yards away, looking like it was laughing and waiting for him. The werewolf once again playfully attacked the animal, and once again it was gone when he reached the place it had been standing at.  
  
'~Who are you?~' he asked the white wolf when the creature appeared by his side.  
  
The ancient animal smiled kindly in a wolf-like way, and once again nibbled his ear playfully.  
  
'~You may call me Lunatus if you so wish. Now come and play.~'  
  
Remus blinked and the white wolf was standing several yards away from him. He ran after the creature, following it through the forest at a breathtaking speed. Every time he was catching up to Lunatus, the white wolf ran even faster.  
  
The werewolf was so focused on the ancient creature that he didn't notice that they had reached the Shrieking Shack. It was only when Lunatus suddenly disappeared in the moonlight that he noticed the fact that they were out of the Forbidden Forest, and the Shrieking Shack itself looking up over him.  
  
He looked curiously at the house. It was obvious that the white wolf had led him here, but why? Remembering the vision the same morning, he started trotting towards the front door.  
  
Before he could take more than a few steps, the door of the house slowly opened and out into the moonlight stepped a tiny, dark brown wolf-cub. The tiny creature looked curiously at him, before slowly walking forwards. It stopped right in front of him and looked into his eyes. Then it yelped, wagged its tail and started to playfully attack his paws.  
  
Remus looked up from the cub, only to see something white disappear among the trees in the forest.  
  
-------------------------  
  
There, finished. Tell me what you think, alright?  
  
~~~~~  
  
LATIN:  
  
Lunatus: crescent-shaped  
  
~~~~  
  
Now, to clear some things up:  
  
RAV (Resistance Against Voldemort) is Dumbledores special group.  
  
Acacia Alcander is the gothic girl in Gryffindor; and Accalia Amaris is the werewolf.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
A-man, bubblegum*girl, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, Angel of Death, Usa Yui and Usa Kou, Naia, Mike Potter 2002, coconut-ice agent h/h, silver005, WolfMoon, RJLL, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, Amber Evans Potter, Water Fire Girl, npetrenko, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, CG Anna Marie, Richan, androme, JUDGEMENT, Sophie W., WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Rouge1615, Rachel A. Prongs, BloodRedSword, Blizzard, Hikari Kura, USA Tiger, Dragonhope, Miranda Flairgold, Sayin Shinigani, Neo-Kitty, Confuzzler, Bookworm, Icewind Stormfire, daemonhart, MythX, Ashley, Ruskbyte, Witchmaster, CR, tima and musicgirl225. 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Sorry for the long wait, but here's chapter 11. Hope you enjoy and happy new year.  
  
-Chapter Eleven-  
  
  
  
The fact that the Weasley twins weren't there anymore was noticed within the next few days. There was no one at the Gryffindor table to make fun of Slytherins; well, no more than usual. There was no one in the common room hanging over a piece of parchment in a secluded corner, plotting some major prank or other. There was no one suddenly giving you food 'just to do it'. There was no one trying to get you to eat Canary Creams, though there still were quite a few around, and Tongue Tie Toffees. The teachers didn't seem so stressed anymore, and Filch had gotten his drawer back. Even Peeves himself seemed a bit put out, but that didn't last for long.  
  
The Weasley twins were sorely missed, even if some residents in the castle would have to swallow a good dose of Veritaserum before admitting to it.  
  
To lighten things up, Dumbledore decided to hold a ball at Halloween, with one small twist. Everyone, teacher as well as student, had to wear a costume.  
  
Needless to say some were ecstatic: Trelawney, the House Elves, all the girls and even some Hufflepuff boys.  
  
While others loathed the idea from the very beginning: Snape, the Slytherins, Harry, McGonagall, Cian, the Gryffindors, the Ravenclaws, the ghosts, Hagrids dog Fang, Vector, Sinistra, Madame Hooch, Ron and Madame Pomfrey.  
  
However, there were few of those who decided to stay neutral: Flitwick, Hagrid, Sprout, Hermione, Ginny and most of the Hogwarts paintings.  
  
All in all the whole thing was quite even.  
  
-------------------------  
  
'This is SOOO not a good idea!' Harry thought angrily, walking down a corridor. 'But does Dumbledore listen to me? Nooooo! Alright, he is the Headmaster, but still... Wonder what he wanted.'  
  
Harry had been called to the old mages office shortly after the afternoon classes had begun, and was now nearing the gargoyle guarding the entrance. He opened his mouth to say the password, then closed it again.  
  
Dumbledore had, once again, forgotten to tell him the password of the month.  
  
"Sherbet Lemon? Chocolate Frogs? Ice Mice? Blood Pops? Smarties? Mars Bars?" Harry sighed and decided to try this logically... Since when did a creation of Dumbledore's and the word 'logic' fit in the same sentence?  
  
'Not to worry Harry,' the voice told him. 'Dumbledore's currently on his way down. It seems he has placed a spell out here to tell him when someone's trying to guess the password.'  
  
'Good, I've run out of patience for his little Games.'  
  
Suddenly the gargoyle jumped aside and Dumbledore himself stuck his head out. He beamed when he saw Harry, but the twinkle in his eyes wasn't as bright as before.  
  
"Ah, Harry. Right on time too! Come on in, my dear boy."  
  
"Professor, what is this about?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing big, I assure you. The Minister just wanted to talk to you for a bit. Professors Joyleaf and Snape are here too."  
  
Harry had gotten worried when Dumbledore said 'nothing big'. No one would've dragged him out of class if it could've waited till supper. And when the Headmaster mentioned Fudge, Harry's day shot straight to hell. He really had no intention of dealing with the nincompoop right now. And with Cian and Snape in the same room, the explosion just waited to happen.  
  
He took a deep breath before entering the office, Dumbledore closed the door after them. Harry nodded politely to Cian and Snape, then turned his eyes to the Minister. Fudge gad brought with him four people. Two normal Aurors, who stood beside him and glared at Harry. The third person was the leader of the Auror department, Phoebus Comminus. The man was watching Harry with a mix of anger and hate.  
  
The last man was by far the most interesting. He was tall, had broad shoulders, and a ragged appearance that testified of his constant fight against the Dark side. The sharp dark-brown eyes were narrow by nature, the nose somewhat flat as if it had been bashed into something time and time again. The mouth was too big for the face. His stance spoke of unbreakable pride, perhaps too much of it, and clearly told Harry that the man was ready to attack at all times.  
  
'Who the hell is that?'  
  
'The leader of the Unspeakables and the Department of Mystery, Venenifer Caliga.'  
  
'I see he fits his name.'  
  
'Be careful around him Harry, he has a way of picking up on the Big Game. Hell, he has a way of picking up anything out of the ordinary!'  
  
'I feel so assured.'  
  
"Harry, let me introduce Phoebus Comminus and Venenifer Caliga." Dumbledore began. "Both of them work at the Ministry. And these two Aurors are Jen Stella and Stian Washington." The Headmaster sat down behind his desk and the Boy Who Loved took a seat between his Defence Professor and Potion master. "Now, why don't I hand the word over to our dear Minister of Magic, and he can explain what's going on?"  
  
Fudge cleared his throat and looked somewhat uncomfortable with the three glares coming from Harry, Snape and Cian.  
  
"Right, um, it's about this Rex Chase fellow." The Minister began. "And this Blood Contract of yours." He added hastily. "Now since the two of you," he mentioned to Harry and Snape, "have known him the longest, it was obvious who we had to talk to."  
  
"Then what's the Defence Professor doing here?" Harry asked.  
  
"A source of ours said that he was also a friend of Chase." Venenifer Caliga replied this time, smirking all the time. "Chase makes this too easy. It's like killing three birds with one stone. One known Death Eater; a little golden boy; and a terrorist with valuable information."  
  
'Why don't I like the guy?' Harry thought sarcastically.  
  
'I agree. Should've done something about him when I had the chance.'  
  
'I'm not even going to ask about that one.'  
  
"What is it, Mr Potter?" Caliga sneered. "The dead Dark Lord took your tongue?"  
  
'You sure this guy isn't a Death Eater?'  
  
'Unfortunately I'm positive about that.'  
  
Caliga was smirking superiorly, staring down his flat nose at Harry. Snape was wearing a mask of cold indifference, but it was obviously hard for him to maintain it. Dumbledore looked ten years older than usual; Cian was gripping the armrests, looking ready to kill everyone. The two young Aurors weren't sure what side they were on anymore; Fudge and Comminus just watched the whole scene with interest.  
  
"Mr Caliga," Harry said politely and calmly, refusing to rise to the bait. "First of all I must correct you; the Dark Lord is not dead, and is currently trying to get his old powers back." The man raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "And second, what makes you think that I and this Rex Chase signed a Blood Contract?"  
  
"It said so in the Daily Prophet, and it also said that Mr Dumbledore here had the proof of it."  
  
"Reporters lie Mr Caliga," Harry said as though they were discussing the weather. "And especially the reporter who wrote that particular article."  
  
Caliga's eyes narrowed down to mere slits. It reminded him extremely of Voldemort.  
  
"I'm glad we agree on that Mr Potter. Skeeter may lie, but a Blood Contract sure as hell doesn't." And from his midnight black robes he drew out a scroll. Caliga rolled it out, held it up and began to read, " 'By signing this I, Harry Potter, hereby give my services to Rex Chase for as long as he wishes.  
  
These conditions I, Harry Potter, will obey: I will not betray the trust he puts in me. I will do whatever he tells me to, only having the right to refuse if it involves something illegal like killing or Dark Magic.  
  
These conditions I, Rex Chase, will obey: I will not do any harm to Mr Potter. I will not harm his family and friends. I will only ask for his services if there's no other option in sight. I will not force him to do anything. I will not send him into danger without sufficient reason.  
  
If any of these conditions are broken or not followed to the point blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, so on and so forth.' " The leader of the Unspeakables smirked triumphantly. "Hung by your own rope there, Mr Potter?"  
  
Harry smiled charmingly, though inside he was boiling.  
  
"My dear Mr Caliga," he began. "I am afraid that you will find that you are wrong. I have never signed that contract."  
  
"Then you won't mind if we compare your DNA with what's on the paper?"  
  
"Do what you must." Harry held his hand out and Caliga rapped it with his wand, more harshly than necessary, and whispered a word. Then he tapped the parchment.  
  
First a O- flashed in the air; that was Harry's DNA. Then a B+ showed up beside it; that came from the parchment.  
  
Caliga looked murderous. He compared Rex Chase's DNA with Harry's, but only came up with an AB+.  
  
This time it was Harry's turn to smirk.  
  
"What is it, Mr Caliga?" he asked mockingly. "The Dark Lord took your tongue?"  
  
Caliga looked ready to explode, but Fudge quickly stepped in.  
  
"Now, now, gentlemen, there's really no need for fighting." The Minister turned to Caliga, and glared at the leader of the Unspeakables. "I told you not to trust what that Skeeter-woman wrote, Venenifer. You should have listened to me since I have had more experience than you in the matters of the media."  
  
'What a bad, unconvincing arse-kisser.' Harry thought as he turned the Minister out. Fudge just kept on going about his experience with the media, clearly boring the rest of the rooms occupants to the brink of death.  
  
"The Contract may have been a fraud, Cornelius." Caliga's voice brought Harry's attention back to the case at hand. "But what about Snape and Joyleaf over there? They are both rumoured to be in league with Chase, and so far I've seen nothing to prove the opposite."  
  
"You have neither seen something to prove your assumptions, Mr Caliga." Snape spoke up for the first time, his voice deceptively calm.  
  
Caliga opened his mouth to protest, but shut it again. He was doing a fairly good impression of a beetroot.  
  
The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had returned full force, and Cian had begun to relax and was enjoying the show.  
  
"Now that that is settled," the Headmaster began, "how about we don't keep the two Professors and the student from their classes, hmm?"  
  
No one dared to argue. Snape stood up first and nodded to Dumbledore before leaving the office. Cian was next. He stood up, nodded to the old mage and winked to Harry before he left the room.  
  
Harry followed in Snape's footprints and nodded to the Headmaster, then he too left the room and the Minister behind.  
  
'What a suspense-filled meeting!' the voice commented when Harry found himself safely out in the corridor.  
  
'Yeah, tell me about it!' the Gryffindor replied. 'I wonder why the head of the Auror Department was here today. The guy didn't say a thing throughout the whole meeting.'  
  
'I think it has something to do with a certain letter that you received at the end of the summer.'  
  
'Oh, yeah, that. Athan sure as hell did a good job burning it to crisp.'  
  
'Yes, it's one of his... eh, specialties.'  
  
'Rrrrriiiiiiigggghhhhttttt...'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry smiled as Hermione told him and Ron all about her costume for Halloween. Apparently she was going to come as Arwen from Lord of the Rings, and Neville has agreed to come as Aragorn and was her 'date' for the evening. The poor boy had finally worked up the courage to ask Hermione to come with him, and had quickly reassured her that this was a strictly friendly date, and that he had no interest in her, no offence.  
  
Ron had apparently ventured bravely into the library in Ottery St Catchpole, and had discovered the books of Anne Rice. He had gotten hooked on them, so there was no surprise to anyone who knew about his new obsession when he announced that he was coming as Armand, a 500 year-old vampire who still looked like a teenager.  
  
The redhead had found a kindred spirit in Acacia Alcander who also loved Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. She was going as Akasha the Queen of the Damned, and the two of them had decided to go together.  
  
Harry himself still hadn't found a fitting costume. There was only a couple of days left to Halloween, and he hadn't the faintest idea of what he could dress up as. The voice and Cian had been giving him ideas, but nothing felt exactly right to him. The First vampire was going just the way he was, just adding some fancy clothes. The fact that he was a vampire pretending to be human pretending to be a vampire did more to hide his real identity than anything else.  
  
'Why can't you do the same?' the voice asked. 'Why can't you just go as yourself?'  
  
'You know what Dumbledore said, everyone has to have a costume. And I'm not going to miss this feast for the fact alone that something can and will go wrong.'  
  
'Yeah, I guess you're right.' The voice seemed to think for a while. 'Can't you go as one of the characters from Shakespeare's plays? How about Hamlet? Or what about Puck from 'A Midsummer-Nights Dream'? Or what about Oberon, king of the fairies from the same play? Or what about someone from the plays of Charles Dickens? And what about the books of Mark Twain? You could be Tom Sawyer; or you could be Jim Hawkins or Long John Silver from 'Treasure Island' by Robert L. Stevenson.'  
  
'Alright, alright, I get the point. But none of those you mentioned seem to be the right one. This is so annoying.'  
  
After long hours spent on thinking up a costume, Harry decided to go as Sherlock Holmes. If something happened and everyone were turned into their character, he'd at least have a decent chance of surviving the mayhem and chaos that would ensue.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Halloween had arrived. The girls were talking about their costumes and dates, the boys were avoiding anything connected to that particular subject.  
  
The teachers had long since given up on trying to teach the students anything that day, and let them sit and talk in class. Even Snape didn't bother trying to teach, but told them that if they were going to talk, they would talk quietly.  
  
Harry was not looking forward to the feast. All day his senses had told him that something big was going to happen, and he had long since learned to trust his gut-feeling. The disaster was just waiting to happen.  
  
It was no great surprise when his scar suddenly started hurting the same afternoon.  
  
The rest of the Gryffindor House had gone down to the Great Hall, and Harry was alone in the common room. He had just passed the fireplace when his scar exploded in pain. He tried to hold the howl of agony in, but in the effort he fell to his knees clutching his head.  
  
Something powerful and dark was pulling at him, demanding him to come, summoning him.  
  
'Quickly! Let Mayon free, let his senses lead you to the one who's calling. I'll just put up a duplicate of you to walk around here, then I'll come too.' The voice cut through his pain-filled brain, and Harry's thoughts cleared somewhat. 'Well, what are you waiting for boy? Get on with it!'  
  
Harry did what he was told and turned into the black angel. The pain almost disappeared in this form, and he let himself go to whatever was calling him. The shadows in the room weaved around the tall, impressive form, and Harry closed his eyes. When he was completely covered in darkness, it pulsated once then disappeared.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Voldemort felt a smirk of triumph make its way onto his pale face when the dark orb appeared. The thing grew larger and larger, sucking all the light in the room into its endless pits of darkness. Black mist-like threats weaved through the Death Eaters assembled in the room. Some of them looked at the threads in surprise and fear, but didn't stop chanting. If they did he would kill every single one of them.  
  
The dark mass in front of him had begun to take a form. Slowly the Dark Lord could make out broad shoulders and a powerful body covered in a fancy, black tailor-made suit that could rival one of Malfoy's best robes. Huge black, impressive wings stuck up over the shoulders; white hair neatly falling around the marble-white face. Elegant, white eyebrows arched elegantly over closed eyes.  
  
The Dark Lord felt like he could just stand there and watch this creature forever.  
  
"Lucifer, Son of Morning." A Death Eater whispered, his voice filled with awe and fear.  
  
Voldemort had a good mind to kill the idiot right on the spot, but just as his hand was reaching for his wand, the creatures pupil-less eyes snapped open and looked straight at him. He was frozen to the spot. For the first time in sixteen years the Dark Lord felt fear run through him.  
  
-------------------------  
  
There, finally finished! Sorry that it took so long to post this. Please review and tell me what you think.  
  
~~~~  
  
LATIN:  
  
Venenifer: poisonous  
  
Caliga: darkness, gloom, mist  
  
Comminus: hand to hand, in close combat  
  
~~~~  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Harry and Hermione's Daughter, unknown(even to me, Rachel A. Prongs, Amber Evans Potter, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, wquad, Liza P, Yami's Girl, Sophie W., Bill Weasley, Silver Earth Dragon, JUDGMENT, Mistress Creasacre, bubblegum*girl, Ashley, BloodRedSword, USA Tiger, Bookworm, coconut-ice agent h/h, Ruskbyte, Korinna Myorin, CR, Suspect, AJaKe, Witchmaster, Dragonhope, Glasen Dauthi, Ice-Phoenix, daemonhart, Icewind Stormfire, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, Kathy999, A-man, WolfMoon, npetrenko, Richan, Golden Eagle, aurora*sky, Sugar Quill, tima and Vicantis RavenWild. 


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this as well.  
  
EXTRA AUTHORS NOTE: People seem to have misunderstood me. The Halloween feast at Hogwarts is going on at the same time Harry/Mayon pisses Voldie off. Harry was on his way to the Great Hall and the feast, when the Dark Lord used some serious Dark Magic and his scar started to burn.  
  
-Chapter Twelve-  
  
  
  
In all outward appearances he was calm and collected as always, but inside Voldemort was beginning to wonder if this had been such a good idea. The Dark Angel hadn't removed his eyes from the Dark Lord, pinning the man to the spot with the intensity of the look.  
  
"Release me." The two words were growled darkly by the Dark Angel.  
  
The Heir of Slytherin suddenly realised that the Death Eaters were still chanting. He quickly go them to stop and shut up.  
  
Everyone were watching the winged creatures every move. What would happen next?  
  
-------------------------  
  
'WHAT?!' Harry exclaimed. 'You mean to tell me that I have this perfect chance of kicking Voldie's ass to the seventh hell and stop this war, and you won't allow me that pleasure?'  
  
'Harry, it's not his time to go and you're not ready to kill anyone, not even the Dark Lord.' The voice replied. 'Harry trust me on this one.'  
  
'TRUST YOU?!!!! You're telling me that a bloody murdering maniac is to live! How the hell can I trust you?!!!!!!'  
  
'Harry...' the voice warned.  
  
'He killed my parents, for heavens sake!'  
  
'Harry--'  
  
'He has killed hundreds of other people!'  
  
'Harry!'  
  
'He killed Cedric and one of his henchmen is the key to freeing my godfather!' Harry began to lift his hand, palm pointing to the Dark Lord, when a force surrounded him and his arm was stuck to his side. "Release me." Harry didn't realise that he had spoken out loud until Voldemort signalled to his Death Eaters, and the chant stopped.  
  
'Listen to me, young man!' the new voice belonged to a female. It sounded old, yet young; serious yet filled with mischief; but most of all it was angry. 'I am Fate, and I am the one who decides when it is time for someone to leave Earth and pass on to the realm beyond. Now, you're going to do as we tell you and not kill Riddle until we give you permission to do so. Understood?'  
  
'But-' Harry began.  
  
'UNDERSTOOD?'  
  
'Yes ma'am.' Harry growled.  
  
'Good, now turn your attention back to the situation at hand.' The normal voice was back. 'I'll be here with you and will guide you through the whole thing.'  
  
Harry blinked and looked around. In front of him Voldemort was standing, and he had to suppress an overwhelming urge to kill the monster right now. All around them Death Eaters stood, some looking death warmed over, but all of them were staring at him with wide eyes. He turned his attention back to the Dark Lord.  
  
Voldemort hadn't changed much since their last encounter. He wasn't as skinny as before and his red eyes twinkled like Dumbledore's but in an evil way. Riddle had one of his hands in his robe-pocket, clutching his wand as if it was a lifeline.  
  
'Heavens give me strength,' he thought to himself before letting his facial features relax slightly. "It warms my black heart to see so much Darkness gathered in one place; especially among mortal humans. Quite a feat." His voice was sweet as honey. It flowed over the Death Eaters like black silk, calming their high-strung nerves and lessening the suspense in the room. "Who calls?" Harry asked hating every minute of the whole thing.  
  
"Voldemort, Lord of the Dark."  
  
"Why does he call?"  
  
"To ask help from the Dark Angels." Voldemort seemed to have a tough time saying the word 'help'.  
  
"And what does he offer in return?"  
  
"A Light Angel as well as one of his own."  
  
"What is my name?" Harry asked.  
  
'That's it Harry, if he doesn't know your name you have no reason or bonds that hold you here and you're free to go back to Hogwarts,' the voice told him.  
  
Voldemort looked surprised and the Death Eaters were nervously watching the whole scene. How the hell could their Master know the name of the Dark Angel? The Dark creature was going to kill them if their Lord didn't guess right, they were sure of it.  
  
-------------------------  
  
For once in his life as a Dark Lord, Riddle was speechless. How was he to know the name of this creature? None of the Dark Angels had been seen since the Four Founders of Hogwarts had parted ways.  
  
The Dark Lord decided to take this logically, and drew up on all his knowledge of the Dark to aid him in this task.  
  
The Dark Angel in front of him didn't seem to fit the name 'Lucifer, Son of Morning'; he fit more something that began with an 'm'. Marius... Mayrion... Mayron... Mayon! Yes, that sounded and felt right.  
  
But what did it mean?  
  
Voldemort sighed silently. If he didn't say the name, the meaning of the name and the rank this Dark Angel held within the forces of the Dark; he was as good as dead. The creature would take his soul back with him to hell, and that was the end of his dream to take over the world and kill all mudbloods and Muggles.  
  
'The Black God,' a dark, powerful voice whispered in the Dark Lords mind. The voice had appeared shortly after he had began to study the Dark Arts in his fifth year at Hogwarts, and had since then helped him many times and Voldemort trusted the voice like no one else.  
  
"Mayon, the Black God, the darkest of the Dark Angels."  
  
-------------------------  
  
'What do you have to say in your defence, voice?' Harry growled as the Dark Lord spoke.  
  
'I had no idea that that dark idiot was going to meddle with my plans.'  
  
'What dark idiot?'  
  
'An old fiend of mine.' The voice replied quickly. 'You better react soon or Snakeface over there is going to suspect something.'  
  
'I hate you.' Harry told the voice then let his wings stretch as much as possible in the room. The Death Eaters tensed again and the Dark Lord looked like he was about to turn into another Mad-Eye Moody. 'Hmmm, I can definitely have fun helping Riddle to loose his head.'  
  
'I hope you don't mean that literally.'  
  
Harry didn't answer. Instead he let a small evil smile take residence on his face, and his pupil-less eyes glowed wildly. Voldemort and his minions took a step back, ready to bolt for the doors if something had gone wrong.  
  
"I was beginning to wonder if I had been completely forgotten over the eras that have passed since Atlantis."  
  
After getting over the shock that they weren't going to die, the Death Eaters began to whisper amongst themselves. This creature had seen Atlantis? It was that old? They weren't going to die? He had seen Atlantis!? were some of the questions that ran around their heads.  
  
Voldemort himself, looked a bit surprised.  
  
"You have seen Atlantis?" the Dark Lord asked.  
  
"Yes I did," Harry replied. 'I really hate it when you take over my tongue.'  
  
'This is important,' the voice replied. 'Trust me.'  
  
"How was it?" a daring Death Eater asked curiously.  
  
"Rather pathetic to tell the truth," Harry replied. He hated every word leaving his mouth. The other occupants in the room looked shocked. "All they ever did was practice their 'Light' magic; there was no Dark Angels either, that is until I popped up. I was the first of them, Lucifer still hadn't even thought about changing sides. Pathetic human-loving fool."  
  
"W-what happened?" another Death Eater dared to ask. It was Malfoy senior. The man wasn't too surprised that the Dark Angel in front of them talked like he did. There had been some books in the Malfoy Manor library that had spoken of an Angel going to the Dark side long before Lucifer had, but until now he had thought it was fiction. The books had said something about this Dark Angel being the most ruthless of them all, not having any respect for anyone or anything. A wild, free, and dangerous creature that did as he wanted.  
  
"By that time Lucifer had began to sway and the other Angels thought it was time to wipe me out for good. But there's a problem with that, an Angel cannot be killed or destroyed, so they locked be up with spells and enchantments and who knows what else and a powerful curse was cast over me by Gabriel, I'm sure you've all heard of the idiot." Harry took a deep breath. It was very weird, for as he told the story he got memories shoved into his head. Memories of other Angels, of happenings, of Atlantis, of the battle that had finally turned Mayon Dark, and hundreds of other things.  
  
'Harry, you can go through those memories later. We need to finish this first.'  
  
'Tell me what happened to Mayon and how in the name of the Light I ended up with his shape as one of my Pretender forms.'  
  
'Later. I promise on my vow to the Light.'  
  
'I'll hold you to that promise.' Harry growled to the voice, then shifted his attention back tot eh Dark Lord and his minions. "This curse bound me to my prison until someone summoned me; not just any Dark Angel, but me specially."  
  
'There's more to that curse but I'll tell you about that another time,' the voice told him. 'Right now we need to get to the part where you claim to see their offerings to you.'  
  
"Now, you, Voldemort, said something about offerings?" it was more a command than a question and the Dark Lord knew it.  
  
Riddle shook himself out of his thoughts, and sent a grim smile Harry's way. It looked more like a grimace.  
  
"Right this way Dark Angel." He said and mentioned towards the door behind him. "Death Eaters," the Dark Lord turned to his followers, "go and celebrate for a successful summoning. Malfoy, Nott, Avery and Crabbe and Goyle, come with us."  
  
'Well, well, well,' Harry thought in amusement. 'Who'd have thought that the Dark Lord was afraid of being left alone with a Dark Angel?'  
  
'If you were in the same position, you'd be afraid too Harry.' The voice told him sternly as they followed Riddle out the room and down a dark corridor. Crabbe and Goyle walked two steps behind the Dark Lord, while Malfoy, Nott and Avery walked three steps behind Harry who was walking in the middle of the group.  
  
'He certainly knows his followers well. Malfoy, Nott and Avery are some of the most powerful wizards he has in his ranks, and could probably bind me if they put their mind to it and worked together. And Crabbe and Goyle are physically strong and can easily beat me up and defend him. It's just too bad that Riddle underestimates the Slytherin ambition in Malfoy, Avery and Nott. Those three would gladly see him fall without lifting a finger to prevent it, and then take his place as a Dark Lord.'  
  
'That's why Crabbe and Goyle are with us,' the voice told him. 'Those two would follow him blindly to the end of the world. I'm rather surprised that they managed to worm their way out of Azkaban.'  
  
Voldemort stopped in front of a heavily decorated oak-door, tapped it with his wand three times and the door opened. He entered first, followed quickly by Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
'What will I find inside?' Harry asked the voice.  
  
'Wait and see,' it replied. 'But remember not to loose your mask and that I'll be with you all the way.'  
  
Harry realised that the Dark Lord was waiting for him to enter, watching him curiously and a bit suspiciously.  
  
"Just thinking of a way to get my wings through the door," he told Riddle.  
  
'Use Mayon's powers, and at the same time convince that Dark Idiot that there'll be no use trying to capture and hold you as a prisoner.'  
  
'Wonderful idea old chap.' Harry sent a devious smile towards the Dark Lord, implying that he knew what Riddle had been thinking of. Then he concentrated on a special memory and began to walk towards the door. He was too tall to get through without bowing down a great deal and with the wings it as even worse. The Dark Lord himself had had to lower his head to get through. But Harry just kept on walking and walked straight through the wall. He sighed in content once on the other side. "How wonderful it feels to finally be able to use my powers once again."  
  
The Death Eaters and Voldemort looked at him in surprise, then at each other. But Harry paid them no mind. He was more concerned with the two people who had been in the room before they had arrived.  
  
One was Draco Malfoy. The young boy was standing in the middle of a cage of sorts. The cage had bars on all four sides and reminded Harry of the Muggle prisons he had occasionally seen on TV. The blonde Slytherin was wearing a white robe with intricate golden patterns all over. He was also watching Harry with fear clearly written on his face.  
  
'We are well on our way to turning him to the Light side, Harry.' The voice told him. 'The seed's been planted and has grown marvellously. All he needs is a last push, which I will give him when the time is right.'  
  
Instead of responding, Harry turned his attention to the other cage across the room. A young woman stood inside, watching him carefully with her chocolate brown eyes. Her auburn hair fell richly to her shoulder blades, framing her pale face. Her white wings stuck up over her shoulders and were more elegant and feminine than his. A pure white robe tied with a golden rope around the waist completed the picture.  
  
Harry glided silently towards her. Something in Mayon's memories bugged him; this woman, though ancient for mortal humans, was still much younger that Mayon himself. She reminded him of someone, someone that Mayon had once hated.  
  
Suddenly it clicked and he began to laugh.  
  
"Buono ginilo verso la Luce e denominilo un angelo! Gabriel, infine siete riuscito a soropreserli!" (Well turn me towards the Light and call me an Angel! Gabriel, you have finally managed to surprise me!) He couldn't help speaking Italian. If the memory served him right, Italian was Gabriel's favourite human language.  
  
"Conoscete il mio padre?" (You know my father?) the Light Angel asked curiously.  
  
"Imprisoned me, ragazza! Ma veda chi ora ha la risata di las!" (He imprisoned me, girl! But see who has the last laugh now!) Harry replied angrily.  
  
Voldemort, the Death Eaters and the young Malfoy were watching the exchange with growing interest. Obviously this was something personal between the two Angels, and excellent blackmail material.  
  
"Siete Mayon?!" (You're Mayon?!) the girl exclaimed. But she didn't sound scared or angry, just curious to the extreme. Her wings had begun to stretch in and out in her excitement.  
  
"Sì sono. Ed il vostro name è?" (Yes I am. And your name is?) Harry asked.  
  
"Bianca."  
  
"Well, Bianca," Harry told her in normal English. "You are coming with me right now. I have a little score to settle with your father." He snapped his fingers and the bars of the cage melted away.  
  
Voldemort looked furious, while the other six where watching the whole scene in surprise.  
  
"You are not going to help me out?" the Dark Lord demanded.  
  
"I've got better things to do now that I'm free, than help a wannabe Dark Lord. I might tell you that it's failing miserably." Harry sneered as he gripped Bianca's arm. He hoped that this would work. He needed to come in contact with the other Angels, wherever they were, and get them to help him.  
  
"What about the obligation you have when someone summons you?" Malfoy senior asked.  
  
"Fiction, I assure you. Lucifer had, and still has, a bit of a obsession with bonds." He got ready to use the Angel way of apparating out of this place, the shadows were beginning to weave around him and the Light Angel who was struggling fiercely.  
  
The Dark Lord was by now livid. He whipped his wand out and had cast a curse at the Dark Angel within the blink of an eye.  
  
Harry managed to block the curse, but he had to let go of Bianca's arm and she used this opportunity to disappear in a flash of bright light. Harry cursed to himself and began to fight fire with fire. He sent curses upon curses at Voldemort, Malfoy, Nott, Avery, Crabbe and Goyle, but they had the upper hand. Even with the knowledge of all of Mayon's centuries helping him out, Harry couldn't win.  
  
In the end he got hit by a Dark curse that would weaken his magic considerably.  
  
'Blasted!'  
  
'Harry, you must get out now! Call the shadows to you and command them to drop you in the forest halfway to Hogwarts. After the forest and all the way to the school, there's a landscape without a single tree in sight and you can fly to the school.'  
  
Harry commanded the shadows to come to him, he asked them for help and in the end he was surrounded by shadows. The huge ball of Darkness pulsated once then was gone.  
  
"Malfoy, get your brat out of that cage and send him back to school." Voldemort commanded trying not to release his anger yet. If he did, he would most likely kill everyone in the room and he didn't want to loose some of his most powerful allies. "The rest of you get out of my sight and leave me alone!"  
  
The Death Eaters hurried to do what they were told, leaving a fuming Dark Lord in the now empty room.  
  
'I am going to find you Mayon. And then I'm going to make you wish you had stayed in that prison of yours for all eternity!'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry had to lean against a tree when he finally appeared at the edge of the forest. The Faréèn, the Angel way of travelling, had taken more out of him that he liked and it took a few minutes before he managed to collect himself enough to make the flight to Hogwarts.  
  
'First of all, voice,' Harry growled to the thing inhabiting his head. 'Why didn't you tell me that that summoner--summoned-bond-thingy was a total fraud?!'  
  
'Else you would've up and left at once, and who'd have pissed the Dark Lord off then? Besides, Bianca is going to play a big part in this war from now on. All you have to do is introduce her to Dumbledore's group, the RAV; and Cian too of course.'  
  
'Of course.' Harry thought sarcastically as he tried out the huge black wings. It took some tries before he got the hang of it, but after that it came easily. He felt as comfortable in the air as ever, and it calmed his nerves a bit. 'How long will it take me to reach Hogwarts, and how long does this curse of Voldemort's last anyway?'  
  
'You'll reach Hogwarts tomorrow night, just in time for the RAV-meeting. And that curse should be gone by then too.'  
  
'What's gone on at Hogwarts since I went on this suicide mission?' he asked as he flew over the plains. Harry kept himself at ten feet above the ground so that he could quickly duck into the tall grass in case someone came by.  
  
'Nothing much. The Halloween feast is over, nothing happened, Snape didn't come in a costume and threatened to hex Dumbledore into oblivion if he tried to do anything to him throughout the evening. Nothing out of the ordinary.'  
  
'Well aren't they lucky.' He sighed. Why couldn't his life be like that?  
  
'Come on Harry, don't get all depressed on me now.'  
  
'Easy for you to say. How long until dawn?'  
  
'A couple of hours.' The voice replied. '99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of be-'  
  
'You're singing horribly off-key, and why do you sing?'  
  
'I need something to do on the journey to Hogwarts. 99 bottles of beer-'  
  
'Oh good God.'  
  
------------------------  
  
'65 bottles of beer on the wall, 65 bo-'  
  
'For heavens sake SHUT UP!!!!'  
  
'Well, someone's grumpy. And you made me loose my count, now I have to start all over again!' the voice whined.  
  
'Do that and I swear I'll go kiss a Dementor and you can try to stop Riddle on your own.'  
  
When there was no sound from the voice, Harry let out the breath he hadn't know that he was holding. Apparently he wasn't going to go crazy this time either.  
  
The black wings were still going strong, sending him quickly forwards. Without the voices' off-key singing, he could enjoy the scenery. As long as he could see there was only hills upon hills covered in green grass swaying in the small breeze. He hadn't felt this peaceful in a very long time.  
  
Suddenly something flew past him, missing his left wing with inches, and got stuck in the ground. It turned out to be a spear made out of gold, the point was made out of pure light that had been manipulated into soling material.  
  
Harry turned quickly and looked around wildly, but he couldn't see anything. He knew that spear; or better said, Mayon knew that spear. It had been made countless eons ago by Hefaistos, the master smith. And it had belonged to Gabriel.  
  
He kept himself in the air, refusing to panic or to run. He needed to talk to the Light Angels, and especially Gabriel.  
  
A ball of light suddenly appeared from thin air, and Harry had to duck quickly in order to avoid it. Another ball quickly followed it, and then yet another. He was having a hard time to avoid all the attacks, but Harry refused to use his powers. He needed to show the Light Angels that he only wanted to talk.  
  
Out of nowhere golden threads of light began to make their way towards him and began to wrap around his body. One took care of his wrists, binding them painfully tight together, another his legs. Luckily none came to bind his wings.  
  
Harry's first instinct was to attack or get out of there, but he kept his rising panic in check and stared calmly at the threads as they bound his hands and feet.  
  
'Well, if you wanted to talk to the Angels, you've got your wish.' The voice commented as several flashes of light revealed ten Angels, Bianca amongst them.  
  
'No shit Sherlock, thank you for that accurate observation.'  
  
The Angel right in front of him was Gabriel. He hadn't changed since last time they met, still looking like somewhere in his twenties. He regarded Harry coolly through stern chocolate brown eyes, but there was no anger or hatred in that look.  
  
"So Mayon, we meet again."  
  
"Indeed we do Gabriel," Harry replied. "Time has been lenient on you. It even granted you with a beautiful daughter." He nodded towards Bianca who was standing behind her father. The other ten Light Angels were watching him like hawks, their spears ready at a moments notice.  
  
Gabriel smiled a nearly unnoticeable smile.  
  
"Even after all this time you still have kept your perfect manners." His eyes got a faraway look in them, then he focused again on the present. "And now you're back. Has the spell really worked Mayon, or did you manage to break it?"  
  
"Who could break a curse cast by you, Gabriel? Or are you still as modest, still as noble as ever?"  
  
"Well, I see you haven't lost your sharp tongue yet, which is a good sign." Gabriel laughed outright and snapped his fingers. The bonds around Harry's wrists and ankles disappeared. "Come, let us walk and talk like we used to all those centuries ago. You must tell me why you are back."  
  
They landed in the grass and Gabriel led Harry a little ways from the rest of the group. The other Angels settled down, but kept a careful watch on the two lone figures. Bianca had flown over to her fathers spear, and was in the process of trying to get it out of the ground.  
  
"Is it really so bad that the second part of the spell came into play?" the Light Angel asked.  
  
"Worse," Harry replied. "Voldemort has managed to triple his power since his last rise, and the British Ministry of Magic refuses to believe in his return. The Order of the Overgrown Roasted Chicken-"  
  
"Phoenix, Mayon. The Order of the Phoenix."  
  
"That's what I said. Well, they aren't exactly what you'd call 'organized'. From what I heard they managed to convince themselves that one of the best fighters for your side, Rex Chase, was a Dark Lord; and tried to do him in. The only one who has done something about this is the White Bumblebee, Albus Dumbledore."  
  
"Why do you call it my side? Isn't it yours too now?"  
  
"I'm not here nor there, Gabriel." Harry looked towards the moon. "I don't belong anywhere anymore. Not in Heaven, nor in Hell." Gabriel watched him, and he began to feel uneasy. "I think it's time that the Angels began to meddle in human affairs again. And besides I know you've been, forgive the mortal term, dying to use your fighting skills."  
  
"And you have a plan I assume?"  
  
"Dumbledore has a group of his own; the Resistance Against Voldemort, I believe it is called. And they're having a meeting tomorrow night. I'm sure you can guess the rest from that."  
  
"I know I shouldn't let you do this, nor go free before clearing yourself with the King of the Light; but something inside me tells me this is the right thing to do." Gabriel looked at him again and Harry met the gaze with a steady one of his own. "I cannot believe I'm letting you go."  
  
"That's the spirit. After all, what would the world be without a Mayon in it?"  
  
"But you are not going alone."  
  
"Spoilsport."  
  
"I'm sending my daughter along with you."  
  
The two of them turned towards Bianca who was still struggling with the spear.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!" Harry protested. "I'm going to go mad before we even reach the bloody school, let alone get Dumbledore to listen to us!"  
  
"It's either with her, or you don't go at all." Gabrial said in that annoying I-really-mean-this-and-that's-final way of his.  
  
'Harry, remember what I told you about Bianca being an important part of this war?'  
  
'Alright, alright,' Harry replied and the voice settled down again. "Alright, Gabriel, I'll take her with me. But it's on her own neck, I'm not going to play babysitter." He told the Light Angel, who smiled.  
  
"I know you aren't; you always came and went as it pleased you, wild and free, and no one could find you if they didn't want to." Gabriel looked searchingly at him. "You have changed greatly Mayon, and it isn't just the long imprisonment. Something else has happened with you, but I cannot figure out exactly what. And what is this curse?" he looked at Harry's aura where, mingled with the gold and silver, several black threads could be seen.  
  
"Voldemort cast a Magic Weakening Curse on me, it should be gone by tomorrow evening."  
  
"No wonder you didn't hide from us; you knew that we would come for you once you got out, but I'm also suspecting you wanted us to find you."  
  
"One of life's great mysteries, Gabriel," Harry deadpanned and the other Angel dropped the subject.  
  
"Well, if that's all I won't keep you from your mission." Gabriel smiled to him, called to the other Angels, explained the situation to Bianca and then disappeared.  
  
Harry watched the sky for a moment, then turned towards the other person left. Bianca was still trying to extract her fathers spear, but wasn't having much luck. If he could, Harry would've rolled his eyes right now.  
  
He growled and walked over to the Light Angel, and pushed her out of the way. He got a good grip on the handle of the spear, and with a mighty yank had pulled it out of the ground.  
  
"Wow. You're strong!"  
  
"Thank you for that assessment, now could we please get on with it?" Harry asked her irritably. "I have work to do, and I am sure you have some female friends at home with whom you want to giggle and gossip."  
  
Bianca glared at him jumped into the air and started flying.  
  
"You're going in the wrong direction." Harry told her calmly. He held Gabriel's spear in both his hand and was bombarded with memories from Mayon's past life. 'When we get back, you really must clear it up for me.' He told the voice as Bianca joined him and they began to fly towards the south.  
  
'I promise, now your main concern is to get to that RAV-meeting in time.'  
  
'Easier said than done.' Harry replied.  
  
-------------------------  
  
First off all let me tell you that I have minimum knowledge about the angels from the Bible or any other scriptures. I'm an atheist myself, and although I have nothing against any kind of religion I'm not exactly interested in it. So please, if I did something wrong or if something of the stuff in this chapter offences you, accept my apologies and don't flame.  
  
Most of the stuff about the Dark and Light Angels is invented, and comes from the part of my brain where all the ideas for stories are brewing. In other words: my dreams. Now please review and tell me what you think of this chapter.  
  
Oh, and one more thing. I've been asked when Quis will show up; well, don't worry, he'll be here soon. I'm planning to have him pop up within the next five chapters.  
  
~~~~  
  
LATIN:  
  
Albus: white  
  
Dumbledore: bumblebee  
  
~~~~  
  
Now, thanks to:  
  
Naia, RJLL, Creamy Mimi, brion, WolfMoon, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, Lady Foxfire, Jarvey, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, Silver Earth Dragon, DaBear, sil, Ice-Phoenix, aurora*sky, krystaldragon, Bookworm, coconut-ice agent h/h, Hikari Kura, Korinna Myorin, Arizosa, Usa Yui and Usa Kou, Ashley, npetruko, Witchmaster, demon of darkness, Akima, JUDGMENT, Zaeria, Katy999, Old Fawkes, impatient, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Dragonhope, Sugar Quill, Glasen Dauthi and Rowena Ravenclaw. 


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Sorry for the long wait, but it's here at last. Hope you enjoy!  
  
-Chapter Thirteen-  
  
  
  
Severus Snape. Potion Master extraordinaire. Head of Slytherin House and one of the few spies for the Light who had managed to escape the Dark Lord with his life, was currently stalking down the corridor towards the rooms of one certain Theron Joyleaf.  
  
He had finally gone to the Headmaster a few days ago, and told him of Chase's offer to help them and told the truth to that manipulative old badger about his newest Defence Teacher. All Dumbledore had done was first look thoughtful, then offer his a Sherbet Lemon.  
  
'I swear, if I even smell one more of those... those... THINGS, I'll quit my job and have Voldemort behead me.' Severus growled to himself. And this time he really meant it; he really did.  
  
After the Potion Master had none too gently declined the yellow sweet, the old coot had interrogated him on anything Chase and Joyleaf had told him. After thinking over the new information, the Headmaster had decided to bring Joyleaf to the next RAV-meeting. And of course, Severus was the one who had to invite the resident DADA Professor to the meeting.  
  
Dumbledore really had a sadistic side.  
  
Snape sighed when he discovered that he was standing outside the door to Joyleaf's rooms. A couple of Hufflepuff students on their way to their common room after detention, were staring weirdly at him. The Potion Master raised an elegant eyebrow and crossed his arms at his chest. The two students were out of sight within the blink of an eye. Made him wonder if those two hadn't used a potion or spell to disappear so quickly.  
  
'Nah, Hufflepuff's aren't that smart.'  
  
He squared his shoulders determinately and knocked quickly on the frame of the painting. The painting was one of those few who didn't move. It was displaying a vampire drinking greedily from a young woman. The whole thing nagged at Snape's mind.  
  
'I wonder-' the Potion Master didn't get further in his musings as the painting opened to reveal a sleepy DADA Professor.  
  
"Severus!" Joyleaf exclaimed in surprise. "What's the pressing matters that can't wait until tomorrow?"  
  
"That offer of yours to help our side," Severus sneered. "The Headmaster decided to follow you up on it."  
  
"Oh! Well, give me a minute to get ready. Do come in by the way." Joyleaf disappeared into the sleeping chambers as the Slytherin Head of House entered.  
  
While the other man was getting dressed, Severus used his time alone like any other Slytheirn and looked around for things that could tell him something about the person who lived in these rooms. However, to his disappointment, he found the room completely bare except the standard couch, table, high-backed chair and the shelf.  
  
The shelf was filled with books upon books on Defence Against the Dark Arts, even though some of these books didn't have a name at all. Those were placed right underneath each other on the left side of the shelf, and nothing seemed suspicious about it. But Severus hadn't survived spying on the Dark Lord twice just by taking things for their outer appearance.  
  
'Never judge a book by its cover.'  
  
However, before he had the chance to go over and check out exactly what those books contained, Joyleaf came waltzing into the room still in the process of pulling his customary white tweed-jacket on.  
  
"Well, lead the way my dear Potion Master." Severus sneered at the other man who smirked in turn, and they were on their way.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Dumbledore met up with them in his office, Fawkes the phoenix sitting on his shoulder.  
  
"Ah, Theron, how nice of you to join us. I really am sorry to wake you up at this hour of the night." The Headmaster commented.  
  
Joyleaf just smiled charmingly. Snape rolled his eyes.  
  
"Really, Albus, I don't mind. If it can make this war stop, I'll gladly be awake for a whole year."  
  
"By dear boy, I don't think it'll come to that, but its nice to see that you take this so seriously."  
  
"Any war should be treated carefully and with uttermost seriousness."  
  
Severus had a strong urge to hit his head against the wall. If the old coot offered Joyleaf tea or Sherbet Lemons, he was going to jump out the window and end his suffering.  
  
"I am glad we agree on that, Theron." Dumbledore said. "I hope you won't mind if we test your loyalty to the Light side and make sure that you won't betray us?" it wasn't a question, it was a choice, and Joyleaf knew it. If he choose wrong he would find himself on his way back to wherever he came from with an altered memory.  
  
"Of course I don't mind Headmaster."  
  
'Pity.' The Potion Master thought.  
  
"Well then," Albus mentioned happily to the phoenix. "Fawkes here will do the scan. Just look into his eyes, and let him do the rest."  
  
Severus noted with some satisfaction that Joyleaf looked a bit nervous and pale as the phoenix flew over to him and settled on the back of a chair. But then the DADA Professor squared his shoulders and looked into the phoenix' eyes.  
  
Nothing happened for a couple of minutes, then Fawkes flew over to his perch and started preening himself. Joyleaf gave a relived sigh and Dumbledore stood up beaming. Severus was complaining silently to himself. He had just gotten another comedian tormentor.  
  
"This is a happy day indeed." Albus walked over to a statue of a proud griffin in the corner of his office. "If you two will follow me we will rejoin with the other members, and start the meeting." The Headmaster turned back to the griffin. "Could you open up for us, Abdo?"  
  
The statue of the griffin came to life, and lazily looked up at the Headmaster.  
  
"Why should I do that?" it yawned.  
  
"Because we want to get in." Dumbledore replied.  
  
"Why do you want to get inside?"  
  
"We have a meeting to attend."  
  
"Attend where?"  
  
"In the room you're guarding."  
  
"What's in the room I'm guarding?"  
  
"A meeting is going to be held there and we're already late."  
  
"Why is there a meeting, and why are you late?"  
  
The old Headmaster rubbed the bridge of his nose, and Severus was searching for the best place to bang his head on the wall. Joyleaf and Fawkes both looked amused.  
  
"We had to take care of some things first." Dumbledore replied. "Now please let us in."  
  
"In where?" Abdo asked.  
  
"Oh for heavens sake!" Snape had finally lost it. "Listen you overgrown kitten, if you don't open right now I'm going to hex you so bad that even your ancestors are going to feel it!"  
  
"Well, if you put it that way..." Abdo yawned again and jumped down from his pedestal. The pedestal itself sunk into the floor and revealed a staircase descending into a corridor lit with torches.  
  
"Thank you Abdo." The Headmaster said and began to climb down the stairs.  
  
"Don't thank me," the griffin replied. "I don't fancy being hexed into oblivion by a greasy slimeball of a Slytherin."  
  
Luckily for Abdo the Potion Master was already quite a ways down the stairs, but that didn't mean that he hadn't heard the griffins comment.  
  
"I heard that you little rat!" Severus smirked as he got the reaction he had aimed for. The griffin hissed and spitted and cursed enough to make a sailor blush. It was quite satisfactory to insult that infuriating ball of fur. And considering that the two of them argued like that every time there was a RAV-meeting or even when the Potion Master came to the Headmaster for advice or one of Albus' 'socializing' chats, it was a very common sight by now. There was even a bet going on among the RAV-members on which one of them would attack the other first. It didn't help that matter that the Potion Master was the only one who could make the griffin open the door to the secret corridor.  
  
Joyleaf was looking highly amused and Albus was chuckling as the opening above them closed.  
  
"Now that the two of you have had a good laugh at my expense, can we move on?" Severus snapped after a while.  
  
"Of course, Severus, forgive us." The Headmaster quickly sobered but his eyes were twinkling madly. "This way." The old mage sat a surprisingly fast pace down the corridor, and the two younger men had to hurry to keep up with him.  
  
"Aha! Here we are!" Dumbledore exclaimed after a couple of minutes of walking.  
  
In front of them was two huge oak-doors; carved out with animals, dragons, trees, Elves, dwarves, wizards and witches and even a couple of vampires, it made an impressive sight.  
  
Dumbledore opened the doors and entered quickly followed by Severus and Joyleaf. The room was filled with people standing here and there chatting together, but when they saw the door open they had gone quiet and when the Headmaster had entered they had scurried to find their seats at the round table in the middle of the room.  
  
Severus briefly wondered what would happen when Joyleaf saw Black walking around as if it was the most normal thing, but was quickly disappointed when all the DADA Professor did was to raise his eyebrows, then sit down beside Dumbledore. The Potion Master shook his head then sat down in his customary seat and waited for the meeting to begin. Chase must've told Joyleaf about Black's innocence.  
  
When everyone were seated, Dumbledore stood up and mentioned for silence.  
  
"Now, I really am sorry for having to keep you all waiting, but I assure you that this was important." He then mentioned for Joyleaf to stand up. "You all know our resident Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, I presume." Most of the people nodded. "Good, now Mr Joyleaf here has some contacts that could help our side greatly in the upcoming war with Voldemort. Today he's here just to observe and see where he and his friends could be of use; maybe, if we're lucky, they will decide to join the Resistance." Joyleaf sat down again. "Now, anyone got anything they want to ask the Professor? Yes, Arabella?"  
  
The woman stood up.  
  
"What could Mr Joyleaf himself do for us? Not his friends or acquaintances, but him?"  
  
Severus applauded the woman. Hard to believe she had once been a Hufflepuff. How she had ended up in that House was beyond him, as she didn't like to work hard, seldom would give anyone a second chance, and the word 'patience' didn't even exist in her vocabulary. She would've been a perfect Slytherin, or maybe Gryffindor. It just proved his suspicions that the Sorting Hat had just as a sadistic humour as the old Headmaster.  
  
But he had to admit that he was interested in the answer that Joyleaf would give to that question.  
  
"I am a Telepath and Mind Reader." Came the calm answer.  
  
Well that answered that question. Joyleaf wasn't all he turned out to be. Severus quickly imagined a solid wall of pure light build up in his minds eye, then he connected the wall to his own magic and with a slight pang of pain in his temples the wall was up. Now the Mind Reader couldn't read his thoughts even if he used magic. It was a powerful Dark Arts spell that Severus had used, it even blocked out vampires.  
  
The Slytherin Head of House looked around the table. Most people were wincing in pain as their own walls were popping into place, Lupin was explaining to Black what to do and how to do it. Mad-Eye Moody was carefully keeping his magical eye at the door while the other one watched Joyleaf just as carefully.  
  
"Well, that is a useful trait." Arabella said when people had calmed down again. "Tell me, who was Sirius' first lover?" That was another reason the Potion Master liked Arabella Figg. She used her brain for more than a stupid sport or an idiotic prank.  
  
To Severus' surprise, Black blushed doing a fairly good imitation of the Gryffindor House banner than hung in the Great Hall.  
  
"Now, now, children, play nice!" Dumbledore said. "Gus, do you have anything to report?"  
  
Mundungus Fletcher stood up to speak. The man had been a Slytherin in Snape's year, and Severus had been the one who had convinced him to change sides. Now he was one of Fudge's most trusted people and advisors. The man was devious as hell, but looked like someone's favourite uncle; all smiles and friendly words. Much like Dumbledore.  
  
"Yes, actually I do." This caught everyone's attention. "It seems as though the Dark Lord tried to summon a Dark Angel on Halloween." This provoked disbelieving looks and even some gasps from those sitting around the table. Severus himself had to fight not to let his mouth drop open and drool like Black was currently doing. Joyleaf, he noted, looked suddenly interested in this information, and all the man's attention went to Gus.  
  
"Well, what happened Fletcher?" Mad-Eye Moody said impatiently after a while. "We do not have the time of the world here."  
  
"I'm getting to that Moody." Gus sneered. "He succeeded in calling the Dark Angel, however what he didn't count on was the Angel refusing to help him. Even if he offered a Light Angel and Malfoy's brat."  
  
Joyleaf let out the breath he had been holding, and everyone turned to him. He smiled.  
  
"It seems as if the Dark Lord has finally met up with Mayon." He offered as an explanation. "By the way, Mayon himself should be here soon to meet you," the man added.  
  
"Riiiiigggghhhht." Arabella said suspiciously, obviously not believing the man. Joyleaf just shrugged. "Did anyone even notice Malfoy jr. disappearing?" she asked the room.  
  
"The Slytherin Quidditch Team had a practice four days ago," Severus spoke up for the first time.  
  
"I watched them," Black cut in and Snape glared. "Malfoy jr. was tailing the Snitch for a while, then he followed it into the Forbidden Forest. Came out fiver minutes later with the Snitch in his hand."  
  
"Gods above, Black, why didn't you tell us before?"  
  
"Keep the black hole you call a mouth shut, Snape! I had no idea that something would happen."  
  
"Did it ever occur to you that any Quidditch ball, when in use, was charmed to stay inside the Quidditch pitch's borders?"  
  
"AAAAHHHH!!!! Get away you crazy woman!!!"  
  
"What did I do this time?!" Arabella asked.  
  
"Nothing my dear," Joyleaf said, an amused smile on his lips. "I think that would be Mayon."  
  
"Stay away from me!" the voice came from everywhere at once, and every person in the room kept glancing around trying to spot the talker. "I'm warning you!"  
  
"Oh, come on!" the second voice was softer than the first. "You're no fun."  
  
"I'm not here to have... fun." Severus could just imagine the sneer on the face of the talker when the person said the last word. "I'm here to end a war. Hey! Don't even think about it!"  
  
"Blah, blah, blah. You'd think that all the time you spent alone would have made you want to socialize with people."  
  
"Stop pestering me you little parasite! Go get a hobby or something."  
  
"Good idea-"  
  
"That does NOT involve annoying me to hell."  
  
"Awww, you're no fun."  
  
"You already said that."  
  
"You know what? You're evil."  
  
"No, really?" the sarcasm wasn't lost on the people in the room. "YYAAAAHHH!!!! What did I tell you about attacking me?"  
  
"I wasn't attacking you, I was hugging you." It was pointed out matter-of- factly.  
  
"Same thing!" there was a slight pause. "Listen girl, I will not be held accountable if something happens to you. Your father sent you with me, but at YOUR. OWN. RISK!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So that means I could kick your ass from here and into the next eon, and not get the blame for it."  
  
"Y-you w-wouldn't do s-something like that t-to a g-girl, would you?"  
  
"Try me." There was a longer silence. "Thank the King! And did anyone ever tell you that you're terrible at puppy-dog eyes?"  
  
A ball of light and a ball of darkness began forming right over the middle of the table. They grew and grew, then began to take form. The black one became a man and the light one became a woman.  
  
The man was tall, even taller than Snape, and two black majestic wings rested neatly against his back. The woman on the other hand, was a couple of inches shorter than Severus, but she too had wings resting neatly against her back; hers were white as snow.  
  
"You are an old, ancient evil thing!" the woman exclaimed.  
  
"Creative insults, my dear, but we have an audience." The man mentioned to the perplexed RAV-members.  
  
This time, even Severus couldn't keep his mouth from falling open in shock. Black, Lupin and several others seemed close to fainting; only Dumbledore and Joyleaf managed to keep their composure throughout the whole thing.  
  
"Mayon." Joyleaf stood up.  
  
"Theron!" the Dark Angel glided over to the DADA teacher. "How have you been since last time we saw each other?"  
  
"Very well, thank you." Was it his imagination, or did Joyleaf sound slightly stiff and cold?  
  
The male Angel sighed.  
  
"You still aren't over that?" he asked in a sad voice.  
  
"It is hard, even if it is in the past."  
  
"Lets talk afterwards," the Dark Angel, Mayon, suggested. "There are other things we need to discuss as well. For now let me introduce to all of you Bianca," he waived his hand towards the Light Angel. She made a show out of bowing. "The most annoying little brat on the whole planet, maybe universe." The bow stopped and she glared at him.  
  
"Um, yes well," the Headmaster began. "Why don't the two of you take a seat and the meeting can progress?" two chairs popped out thin air, but the two Angels declined them and started to float around above the heads of the RAV-members.  
  
'What the hell have we gotten ourselves into this time?' Severus asked himself, then turned his attention to the meeting. He didn't notice Mayon flying right above him and smiling in amusement.  
  
-------------------------  
  
There! Again sorry for the long wait, but I'm trying my best here.  
  
Most of Mayon's history should be revealed in the next chapter, and I think that Quis'll pop up in the chapter after that.  
  
About the fact that Harry managed to trick the Angels. It's going to be explained in the next chapter I think. Be patient.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
WolfMoon, griffin, Forever Fan, Tiger Eyes, RJLL, Silver Earth Dragon, True2j, Ice-Phoenix, BloodRedSword, Arianne, Lady Foxfire, Akima, Ashley, Bookworm, coconut-ice agent h/h, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, life, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, Rachel A. Prongs, Blood Wi'tch, Naia, DaBear, Glasen Dauthi, Witchmaster, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, bubblegum*girl, Sugar Quill, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, Rogue1615, Katy999, Loki666, Dragonhope, Thelvyn, SSSRoaB, insane, USA Tiger, daemonwolf, Potter-Freak123 and magipoet00.  
  
Special thanks to:  
  
life: Thanks for the lesson on Angels.  
  
Rogue1615: Point that thing somewhere else. Or I'll send Rex Chase after you!  
  
And to Rachel A. Prongs: You're right. Those are blood-types, not DNA. But this is wizards we're talking about. Lets say that their DNA is just like their blood-type. 


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Sorry for the insanely long wait, but I had something of a Writers Block on this chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and please review.  
  
-Chapter Fourteen-  
  
  
  
Albus Dumbledore had been keeping an eye at his Defence Teacher and the Dark Angel throughout the entire meeting, and in his mind it was safe to say that even if those two worked together there was an old misdeed or disagreement between the two. The Light Angel on the other hand was having a good time and was making friends with all the people she met except Severus Snape, but that was to be expected. However the Angel hadn't given up on the Potion Master and was currently trying to drag him into a conversation.  
  
"Mayon is right even though I loathe to admit it," Severus said. "You are the most annoying brat in the whole world." Bianca pouted and Albus was sure that even the Dark Lords heart would melt and he would do anything for her, but the Slytherin Head of House just raised an eyebrow and turned to his notes.  
  
In another part of the room Mayon was talking to Arabella, Remus and Mundungus Fletcher.  
  
"How is it that a Dark Angel refused to join one of the most powerful Dark Lords of all times?" Arabella asked.  
  
"I believe I'll be forced to tell that tale when this break is over, Ms Figg." The Dark Angel answered courtly but there was nothing arrogant about his tone or stance. He was just pointing out a fact.  
  
"How do you know Joyleaf and Chase?" Remus asked.  
  
"I, Theron and Rex go way back," there seemed to be a second meaning in his words, and the secretive smile accompanying the words proved the Headmasters assumption. "And that will as well be revealed when I tell my tale."  
  
"Is there anything we can get out of you now?" Gus asked amused.  
  
"If you don't want to know the way Voldemort looked like when he found out that I wasn't going to help him, then no."  
  
Albus smiled to himself. This was going to be entertaining as well as informative. Imagine all the things the could learn from an Angel.  
  
-------------------------  
  
'You completely sure about this?' Harry asked the voice inhabiting his head. The meeting was over and he was standing at the middle of the round table, with the RAV-members anxiously waiting for his story.  
  
'Yes, I am. You should trust me more.'  
  
'Not after you told me to let Riddle live.'  
  
'If I may remind you that was Fate, not me. Completely different person. You better start on the story or Moody'll attack you.' It was true, Mad-Eye Moody hadn't let him out of his sight ever since Harry had appeared.  
  
'But I don't know Mayon's story!' Harry protested.  
  
'It'll come to you.'  
  
'Easy for you to say, 'you ancient, evil thing' to quote Bianca.' He sighed and looked around the room. Bianca was still trying to get Snape to talk to her and he was still ignoring her, Sirius and Remus and just about everyone else watched him curiously. Cian was looking a bit uncomfortable, but that was to be expected. He was about to reveal that the man was a vampire; and not just any vampire, but the First Vampire. 'What I get myself into!'  
  
"As you all know my name is Mayon, and you also know that I am a Dark Angel. Now, does any of you know the meaning of my name?" he asked. "Bianca, shut up." He said before the Light Angel could even open her mouth. She sulked and Snape looked amused. "No one?"  
  
Remus stood up and everyone turned to him. He didn't so sure if revealing the meaning of the Dark Angels name was a good thing, but an encouraging look from Mayon and he cleared his throat.  
  
"Your name means the Black God." The werewolf said.  
  
"Right you are, Mr Lupin." Harry looked around the room again. Some of the faces had gotten slightly suspicious looks, as if they had a feeling where this was leading. "I am sure that all of you have heard of the Dark Angel Lucifer, Son of Morning, and most of you believe that he was the first Dark Angel of them all." There were nods all around. "But you're wrong. I was the first Dark Angel."  
  
"I knew it!" everyone looked over to Moody who had jumped up. "I knew there was something fishy about you, youngster!" The rest of the RAV- members watched in fright as the retired Auror whipped out his wand and sent a powerful Capture Curse at the Angel who just stood calmly in his place.  
  
At the last moment possible Mayon erected a shield that flashed when the curse hit it and was absorbed. In the next second a ball of Darkness had formed in the Dark Angels hand and was thrown at Moody with an elegant gesture. Bianca made a move to interfere, but a look from Harry stopped her. The curse hit home and Moody was lifted up in the air and a full Body Bind was placed on his body.  
  
Whit his pupil-less eyes glowing, Harry stalked over to the pissed-off Auror. His huge wings gave the impression of robes, and most of the people around the table were reminded of the Potion Master.  
  
Harry stopped in front of Moody and glared at him.  
  
"First of all, Mr Moody, I am older than everyone in this room, including the Light Angel. And second, don't judge on what you see. If you had let me finish my story, there would be no need for your outburst. Your heart is weak enough as it is." Harry undid the bind on the mouth to let the Auror speak.  
  
"You have no right to do this to me, young-" Moody didn't get further as Harry shut him up again.  
  
He walked back to the middle of the table again.  
  
"Now, here's where it gets interesting." He continued as though nothing had happened. "At that time Atlantis still existed, and the Kings librarian, Cian, was someone I wasn't exactly too fond of. No matter what I did, Cian managed to see through it and foil my plans. In the end I cursed him and turned him into the First Vampire of them all. I did this with the help of Sarine, a dark Necromancer in those days, and now the vampires blood-god. She had longed to take over Atlantis for countless years, and Cian was one of the few who the King actually trusted and listened too. She got what she wanted. She took over Atlantis and ruled it for a hundred years."  
  
"That's not the story we tell." Bianca spoke up.  
  
"Oh, and who is your librarian these days?" Harry asked.  
  
"Cassin."  
  
"Whatever happened to Aestus?"  
  
"He left some thousand years ago to search for other worlds."  
  
"No wonder everything's out of order. Cassin is one of those that would change something to fit his side of something or benefit him; would make quite the Slytherin." Harry scoffed as a picture of a blonde Angel with his hear slicked back into a ponytail popped up. The Angel looked like a mix between Lockhart and Lucius Malfoy. "That idiot couldn't see the difference between a griffin and a frog even if it bit him in the ass."  
  
"Mayon!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You swore!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"You're an Angel!" Biance looked surprised that the man before her would use such fowl language. Always when an Angel swore, he did it by the King or some other Light thing.  
  
"Does the word 'dark' mean anything to you?"  
  
"Oh." The woman blushed.  
  
"Oh indeed. Now, as I was going to say before I was interrupted for the second time," he glared at Moody and Bianca. "Sarine ruled over Atlantis for about a hundred years before she fell along with the kingdom itself. By that time the Light Angels had heard about what I had done to Cian, and they were, to put it simply, pissed off about it. Gabriel, Bianca's father, challenged me to a duel. That duel, as you might have guessed, happened right in the heart of Atlantis. He won. As an Angel, no matter if he's Light or Dark, cannot be killed, Gabriel made me a prison in the heart of the tallest mountain on the island. There were a lot of powerful enchantments put on it by dozens of Angels, but those I could easily break. However, Gabriel knew this and cast a curse upon me."  
  
"What curse?" Arabella asked when the Dark Angel stopped.  
  
"What? Oh, yes, the curse. Well, it bound me to my prison until someone summoned me. Not just any Dark Angel, but me specifically. Not long after the curse was cast, Atlantis sunk into the ocean and I with it. I won't describe the following 10 000 years as they were quite boring, but somewhere along the line I realised I had a mental link to one person, and that person happened to be Cian himself. The man had somehow managed to escape the catastrophe that sent Atlantis to the bottom of the sea, and had watched as his beloved island disappeared." Harry turned towards the First Vampire. "I am sorry Cian."  
  
The RAV-members had eyes as big as dinner plates. The vampire let his fangs grow a few centimetres. He stood up and faced the Dark Angel, the light in the room illuminating his marble-like skin and making his eyes glow like a cats caught in the light of a car. The last piece of the puzzle fell into place in Severus' mind, and the Potion Master smiled slightly to himself. What a game of Hide-and-Seek they had been playing these two months.  
  
"I'll get over it Mayon." Cian replied. "Eventually I will get over it."  
  
"All I ask for is that you try, old friend." Harry turned back to the RAV- members. He noted with some satisfaction that even Albus himself seemed at a loss of words. "Now, back to the curse Gabriel cast on me. There was a catch. Even if someone summoned me I wouldn't be able to answer until I had realised the error of my actions and accepted the responsibility. I know it sounds corny, but that's Gabriel for you; heck, that's every Light Angel for you." Bianca glared at him, but he ignored it.  
  
"It must've been terrible for you to have him in your head for 10 000 years." The Light Angel turned to Cian who looked highly amused. The other people around the table either looked scared or curious.  
  
"Actually I didn't put up with him for all those years. He disappeared after about the first twenty years and I haven't heard from him until now." The vampire said. He turned to the Dark Angel. "What happened Mayon?"  
  
"A sort of magical sleep fell over me, and thank the King it did or I might've gone crazy in that prison. In fact, I have a strong feeling that it was the King himself who sent it."  
  
'And it was the King who sent it.' The voice told him. 'He called Mayon's soul back to sit beside his throne, an honour I tell you, and used the body of the Angel to give you one hell of a Pretender character.'  
  
'Then why didn't the real Angels realise that I wasn't the real Mayon?' Harry asked.  
  
'They did notice something off about you, but thought it might've been the long imprisonment that caused it. And some magical help from me didn't hurt the matter.'  
  
'You know, you're the most brag-able person I have ever met, but I thank you for your help.'  
  
'No problem, it was fun.'  
  
'Yep, crazy as hell.'  
  
'Who?'  
  
'A certain voice that inhabits my head.' Harry replied.  
  
'There's another voice inhabiting your head?!'  
  
'And you're supposed to be the smart one.'  
  
'Hey!'  
  
Harry shook his head; it was official, the voice was completely crazy. Dumbledore and some others looked suspiciously at him, and Harry decided that it was time to disappear. Cian looked like he agreed full heartedly, but he was surrounded by people asking about vampires, his life and thousands of other things. Harry sent him an apologetic look and the First Vampire discreetly rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well, now that everything's been cleared it is time for me to take my leave." Harry turned to Bianca who was still trying to get Snape to talk to her. The Potion Master on the other hand, looked ready to hex her. "I am sure that you can find your own way back home?"  
  
The Light Angel growled and glared at him. Then she got an innocent look and smiled sweetly to him.  
  
"I am only worried for you, Mayon." She said. "After all this is your first night out after a long imprisonment. The world has changed since you were here last. Wouldn't want you to fly into the Empire State Building or have an encounter with a airplane."  
  
Cian chuckled but quickly turned it into a polite cough when Harry glared at him. Snape himself seemed to have a hard time keeping his emotionless mask on.  
  
Harry turned back to the Light Angel.  
  
"My dear Bianca," he began. "It is my duty to tell you that once and for all you have proved my assumptions." At the beginning of the speech Bianca had looked proud of herself, but by the end of it she just looked confused. "Now I know why Gabriel sent you along," he continued. "That comment is one of the lowest and worst I have ever heard, and I have heard many." With that he disappeared, and it was a good thing too. Not even a second later a ball of energy exploded right where he would've been.  
  
The RAV-members chuckled while Bianca muttered something about evil in solid form to herself.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry grinned to himself the next morning. Ron was sitting on his right glaring at his timetable as if it was its fault that they had a shared class with Slytherins that morning and any other. Hermione was writing a letter to Viktor Krum at the other side of the table, Neville was trying to feed Trevor, who refused and promptly jumped off the table; and Accalia and Acacia had obviously found the tone, and were comparing notes on History of Magic.  
  
His attention went back to his friends when Ron asked where Hermione was going.  
  
"To the owlery," she told them. "I've got to send a letter to Viktor." Ron growled but let it pass. She stood and left.  
  
Harry looked after her, a sly look creeping over his features.  
  
'You think it's time to introduce her to Quis?' he asked the voice.  
  
'Why, I thought you'd never ask!'  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and disappeared from the table. Thank heavens for the fact that their first class was History of Magic, and that Binns wouldn't notice him being gone until the bell signalled the end of class. Sometimes Harry had the feeling that even Binns himself almost was bored to death by his own lectures. He was probably right too, since the ghost looked more dead for every time they saw him.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Hermione sighed as she entered the owlery. True, Ron and Harry were her best friends and she wouldn't change that for anything, but she just couldn't tell them everything. They knew her too well, and if she told someone else the whole school would know about it within the next five minutes, and that was definitely something she didn't need. What she needed was someone who didn't feel like her brother or sister, someone knew.  
  
She stretched out her arm and a rested owl landed on it with a hoot. After the letter was tied to the owls leg, she sent it off. Her own owl was off with a letter to her parents, and wouldn't be back for at least another couple of days.  
  
Just as she was going to turn back to the door she noticed a flash of light from the Forbidden Forest. In the next second birds flew out of the trees. From what she could see they looked extremely frightened.  
  
Hermione hesitated only for a moment before she ran down the stairs, through several secret passages and out into the Entrance Hall. She opened the great doors of the school, and sneaked out without anyone noticing her. she was going to find out what was going on around her. It didn't even register with her that there could be Death Eaters out there; all she could think of was what had made the flash of light.  
  
-------------------------  
  
'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.' Hermione thought to herself after she had been walking around in the Forest for several hours. The old panic was beginning to rise in her again, and she knew she was becoming paranoid but she couldn't help it. Luckily she had had enough brains about to put up a magical trace after entering the Forest and could easily find her way out again.  
  
'That's it. I'm going home.' Just as she was about to turn, a painful yelp followed by an oath attracted her attention. She had a short inner debate whether or not to search for the source, but in the end she walked after the curses and oaths. 'Harry and Ron have corrupted me.'  
  
All of this reminded her of the dream* she had just before coming to school. Even the scenery was right. She knew exactly where to go. Maybe there was something to that divination stuff.  
  
She climbed to the top of the rocks and looked down into the little valley. At the bottom, by the brook, she sighted a creature that her mind at once recognised as a demon. The black skin with the swirl-y patterns made an impressive picture. The demon had Elf-like ears and the yellow-orange eyes were glowing slightly. The creature was examining one of his huge wings. She could clearly see several holes that tore the skin apart. The next thing she noticed was that the boy, definitely a boy, had no mouth and yet she could hear him cursing and mumbling in a strange tongue that sounded like a mix between growling and hissing.  
  
Suddenly the demon looked up and right at her and Hermione gasped. The eyes seemed to bore straight through her and right into her soul. She quickly whipped out her wand in case this was some trick and pointed it at the boy, but already a black, slightly see-through fire had formed around his hand and he was ready to attack. The injured wing seemed to hurt him, but he tried to ignore it and the yellow eyes narrowed.  
  
Hermione slowly made her way down the tiny track, all the time keeping an eye at the demon just as he was doing with her. Once down in the valley, she pocketed her wand and carefully made her way towards the boy. She could hear him growl warningly to her, but she just continued. She stretched her hand out towards the ruined wing, but he quickly got out of the way. The same happened the next time she tried.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you," she told him not sure if he would understand. "I'm going to see if it's possible to heal it."  
  
The yellow eyes regarded her suspiciously, but this time when she got closer he stayed still. The skin under her hand was warm and seemed paper thin, yet it was also very strong. She concentrated on the wounds instead of the feel of the skin and took out her wand, ready to say a curse. However, before she could even open her mouth a strong hand quickly wrapped around her wrist. She looked the demon in the face.  
  
(No human-magic.) She blinked as the dark voice penetrated her mind. (That will only make it worse,) the voice continued.  
  
"D-did you just speak?"  
  
(Of course I did! Did you think that just because I'm different from you homo sapiens, that I can't talk your language? Typical!) the demon looked offended and angry.  
  
"I-I am sorry." Hermione said trying to make the situation better. "B-but I've never met someone like you before. It was a shock."  
  
(Naturally you wouldn't have met someone like me before. We take great care in hiding ourselves from your kind.) The demon folded his wings on his back.  
  
"Why?" Hermione's curiosity was getting the better of her. This demon could very well kill her with a snap of his fingers, yet she didn't leave. Imagine everything she could learn!  
  
(Because you wizards have hunted on us as long as anyone can remember. You think that just because we look different that we're evil.) Once again his eyes pinned her to the spot. (Now, who are you?)  
  
"H-Hermione Granger. Gryffindor prefect at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The demon snorted but she ignored it. "And who are you?"  
  
(Ala-aliquis, Quis for short.) He looked around the clearing. Searching for the easiest way out Hermione realised.  
  
"And why are you here?"  
  
(I was searching for a friend of mine.)  
  
"If you hide yourselves for humans, how is it then that I can see you?"  
  
(I don't know. Maybe you have some special powers or something.) Quis turned to her. (Tell me witch, which way is Hogwarts?) She pointed. (Thank you.) The demon started walking in the opposite direction.  
  
"That won't help," she told him. "That way's Hogsmeade, a wizarding village. And you won't get far with that broken wing of yours." Hermione continued matter-of-factly. "You'll be an easy meal for the animals of this forest."  
  
(I've got to get to the Devils Triangle as soon as possible!) Quis took another step, but his legs wouldn't carry him and he fell. (How embarrassing.)  
  
"And you're sure that my magic will only make it worse?" Hermione asked.  
  
(Yes.)  
  
"What is this Devils Triangle you mentioned?"  
  
Quis looked at her suspiciously. He had pulled his long legs up to his chest and was eying her from that position, his great wings making an egg- formed den around him. Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at the ground. A whispered word and a bonfire was burning merrily between them; then she sat down and the demon relaxed, the black fire surrounding his hand had disappeared.  
  
(I don't know what you humans call it, but for us from the Underworld it is a gateway. We can enter our own realms or exit them; we can even enter the Angels world, but that's one boring place if I've ever been to one.)  
  
"You and the Angels aren't enemies?"  
  
(Of course not.) Quis snorted again. (You humans have it all backwards.) He muttered.  
  
"And where is this Devils Triangle?"  
  
(I don't know.)  
  
"You don't know?!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise. "How in heavens name were you thinking of getting there then?"  
  
(When we are invisible,) Quis started to explain slowly as if talking to a child. (We see different magical nets that surround this planet. The white symbolises the Light, while the black net symbolises the Dark. In places the white net has been broken or is thin, and the black net has managed to weave itself in the Light one. That's when nincompoops like Voldemort pop up and try to take over the world. Now, the net around the Devils Triangle is grey, symbolising that its neither good nor evil. Grey tunnels in the two nets lead us to the Triangle, we don't actually see your human cities or farms or fabrics. We fly through a grey tunnel from one place to another.)  
  
"Fascinating." The Gryffindor witch admitted. "But how did you end up here?"  
  
(There was a hole in the tunnel, you would call it a Black Hole I believe. Where in the world are we now?)  
  
"Somewhere north in Scotland." Hermione replied. "So, if a spacecraft flew into a Black Hole, the astronauts would find themselves in your grey tunnels?" she asked.  
  
(Not really,) Quis replied. (You see the glowing patterns? The pressure inside the Hole is so strong that one of your spacecraft would've been squashed to the size of a molecule. Well, these patterns aren't there for decorations. The pressure is lead through them, through my body and back out into the tunnel.)  
  
"Amazing." Hermione didn't notice that she had missed the days classes, lunch and dinner. Nor did she notice the fact that night was quickly falling and that everything around her was getting darker and darker. She wasn't completely sure yet is she could trust a demon, but her curiosity overrode that distrust. And besides, if Quis wanted to kill her, she would've been dead long before now, she was sure of it. It seemed like she had finally found a friend that she could really talk to.  
  
Then she thought of something.  
  
"Why are you telling me all of this?" she asked.  
  
(I want you to tell me what you learn at these magical schools of yours.) If Quis had had lips, he would have smiled. (I've always been interested in human magic, runes, history, languages, you name it.)  
  
"Well then," Hermione was in her element. "What do you want to know?"  
  
(Everything you can tell me.)  
  
"Then lets begin at the beginning."  
  
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There, finally finished. Sorry again for the insanely long wait, and please review. And look! Quis showed up a lot sooner than expected!  
  
Cookies to those who guess what the Devils Triangle really is called.  
  
*If you want to know what dream I'm talking about, read chapter 8.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Lady FoxFire, kain, coconut-ice agent h/h, Sugar Quill, WolfMoon, Tiger Eyes, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, Hikari Kura, brion, daemonwolf, Rogue1615, Harry and Hermione's Daughter, Korinna Myorin, Kary999, Witchmaster, Akima, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Creamy Mimi, Rachel A. Prongs, Jarvey, aurora*sky, lollipozz, Amber Evans Potter, Thelvyn, Chocolate Frog, Dragonhope, Silver Earth Dragon, SSSRoaB, BloodRedSword, A-man, Ashley, fairymagic689, Richan, DaBear, TheUnknown, ( ), ( ), Copper Fire, dragonstorm, AirElemental101, bubblegum*girl, Corrie, anglegoddess and CG Anna Marie. 


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Here's chapter fifteen. Hope you enjoy and please review.  
  
-Chapter Fifteen-  
Hermione yawned and looked at her watch.  
  
"Holy heavens!" she yelled jumping to her feet. Quis had also jumped to his feet and was combing the darkness around them for the foe. "I'm sorry for scaring you," she told the demon, "but I've got to run. I cannot believe I've just missed a complete days worth of school! Oh, gods, Harry and Ron must be worried sick!"  
  
(Don't tell me you're thinking about going into the forest in this darkness?!)  
  
"I have to. I've got to get back!" she started towards the trail that would take her out of the valley.  
  
(You humans are even weirder than I thought.) Quis mumbled and started walking after her.  
  
"Where do you think you're going with that wing of yours?" Ok, she admitted it: she had become quite protective and fond of the demon. There was nothing wrong with that.  
  
(If you're going through the forest in this darkness I'm going with you.) He told her. (Someone's got to watch out for you.)  
  
Hermione was touched.  
  
"Thanks for the offer, but I can defend myself."  
  
(Yeah, right, and I'm an overgrown bat.) He glared down at her. (Either you're staying here, or I'm coming with you.)  
  
To tell the truth she didn't particularly fancy going through the Forbidden Forest this late, it brought up too many memories. She wavered.  
  
"But they're worrying about me." She protested.  
  
(Don't mind that, I've already contacted a friend of mine who will explain the situation to the rest of those human friends and teachers of yours.)  
  
"How can I be sure that you won't hurt me?"  
  
(If I wanted to hurt you in any way, I would've done it by now.) Quis sat down again and leaned against the tree behind him. (And besides, I've put up wards around this clearing and if it isn't something extremely Dark, nothing should be able to get through.)  
  
Hermione gave up her protesting and sat down beside the demon. She watched as a small ball of silver-blue light formed an inch above his palm. He brought his other hand over it and started to make elegant gestures with the long fingers. The ball of light grew, split into several threads and began to weave itself together like a living thing, creating an intricate pattern that looked like a Celtic cross.  
  
Five minutes later the light disappeared, and a beautiful silver bracelet was lying in the demons hand. The Gryffindor prefect could only stare in wonder at the creation. Suddenly Quis gripped her arm and put the bracelet around her wrist. Her only response was a startled gasp as she could feel the cold metal actually slicing through her skin, but when Hermione looked at her wrist again nothing was wrong. She stared in amazement at the winged boy, and he just looked amused.  
  
(It's a protection charm,) he explained. (Everything from the Underworld that wanted to attack you would think twice before actually doing it, and if you ever need me all you have to do is picture me inside your head and whisper my name, and no matter what I'm doing at the time I'm going to come as fast as possible.)  
  
"Thank you!" Hermione hugged him tightly.  
  
Quis had stiffened up like a rock when he had felt her arms encircle him, but after a while and nothing had happened he relaxed slightly and awkwardly patted her back. She sat back and looked at him. She had to admit that he was handsome, even without a mouth. The swirl-y patterns glowed golden in the firelight and silver in the moonlight that managed to get through the trees. The orange-yellow eyes terrified her yet drew her to him at the same time; and she had to admit that he had a body that other boys would kill for. Hermione blushed when she realised that she was staring.  
  
(You, um, should go to sleep. I'll be keeping watch.)  
  
"But aren't you tired?"  
  
(We demons don't need as much sleep as you humans. We sleep every ten years or so; mind you, we usually sleep six months when that happens.)  
  
"Lucky you." Hermione mumbled. Her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier and she yawned. Quis must've cast an enchantment over her or something. She hadn't felt this tired a second ago. Yawning once again she laid down on the ground and was soon fast asleep.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry sighed as he watched one of his best friends fall asleep. He hated having to trick her like this, but he had to find out what was bothering her. He had even asked Cian to tell the Headmaster that Hermione was just fine, and that she would be home by tomorrow. The First Vampire had told him to be careful, and was also keeping him updated on what happened inside the school itself.  
  
'Watch it Harry,' Cian's voice flooded through his mind. 'Bianca just left and she's heading your way.'  
  
'Thanks Cian.' Harry replied then quickly changed into Mayon. He seated himself at the opposite side of Hermione keeping the bonfire between them, and waited. Soon enough the Light Angel landed into the clearing.  
  
"What in the Kings name is going on here Mayon?" she demanded. "What are you doing with this human girl, and in the middle of the Forbidden Forest?!"  
  
"Will you please be so kind and keep your voice down?" he growled back. "As far as I can see she's sleeping." He stood up and placed himself between Bianca and Hermione. "Found her walking around the forest. been keeping an eye at her ever since then. Don't worry your little head over it, I'll return her in the morning."  
  
"Ah, so there is a kind bone in your body!" Bianca said triumphantly.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, and will you keep it down?!"  
  
"There's no use in denying it, Mayon, you're up to your neck in lies this time." She walked up to him and stared right into his eyes. Harry narrowed his own. "Why do you hide behind that mask?" she whispered.  
  
Her hand slowly lifted and tucked a loose strand of his hair behind his ear. He jerked back.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" her hand rose once again but he gripped her wrist before she could even come close. "Answer me! What the hell do you think you were doing?!"  
  
Bianca looked scared for a second, but then steely determination and a stupid amount of courage entered her look and she set her jaw stubbornly.  
  
"Don't tell me that you cannot feel it!" she hissed.  
  
"Feel what? What in the name of everything holy are talking about?" the whole conversation had been spoken in whispered tones, and Hermione was still sleeping.  
  
The Light Angel once again stepped up to him and Harry retreated. This went on until Harry was backed up against a tree. He didn't like where this was heading. Bianca was out of her mind! She had to be! This could not be happening, yet it was.  
  
"Imagine that," her voice wasn't scornful, just slightly teasing. "The great Mayon afraid of love."  
  
"Love?" Harry tried to compose himself. "Woman, I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. Now why don't you just head home and we'll forget that this ever happened?" he made a shooing motion with his hand. "Off with you."  
  
"Not this time," she whispered, then she did what he had been fearing she would do. Bianca kissed him fully on the lips. And it wasn't an innocent kiss either.  
  
Harry pushed her away, his eyes were blazing with power and a ball of Darkness had formed around his clenched fist. He was also bearing his teeth like a wild beast. To Bianca he seemed to grow ten feet tall and she could finally understand why her father always had warned her about Mayon, why he had always talked about the man in hushed, respectful tones. He was a killer, Gabriel had told her, a wild creature coming and going as he wanted, and those who tried to stand in his way or trying to force him into something were easily disposed off.  
  
"I'll ask you once again, girl." She winced at the last word. "What the hell were you trying to do?" his voice was deceptively calm.  
  
But she wouldn't back down.  
  
"I was kissing you."  
  
"And just why did you do that?"  
  
"You really can't feel it, can you?" she asked sadly. "The bond which was formed between the two of us at the beginning of everything, even if I wasn't born yet."  
  
"Have you been spending time with Lucifer or something? That's definitely one of his lines."  
  
"I have never met the Son of Morning. Just feel after the bind inside of you." Bianca begged him.  
  
Harry looked suspiciously at her, his anger was slowly ebbing away. On one hand she could be right and he could be in helluva lot of trouble, or she could be fooling around. However, one look into her eyes made him make his mind up and he closed his eyes, focusing into the depths of his very soul. Not much searching later he found it. Something made out of pure magic and pulling him towards the Light Angel with the strength of a bulldozer. His eyes snapped open.  
  
'Damn, Harry,' the voice was back. 'With this new twist I guess we'll have to give Mayon his body back and let him take care of this. It seems like you're gonna loose a Pretend-shape.'  
  
'What is this?' Harry asked. It felt wonderful, yet at the same time it scared him away.  
  
'It's a Soul Bond. That's how Angels mate. If you had been the real Mayon it would've been a lot stronger. Send Bianca off now, we need to connect Mayon with his body. And by the way, it'll be pretty painful.'  
  
Harry glared at Bianca.  
  
"Go."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me. Get going!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"Leave!"  
  
"I-"  
  
"NOW!" she stumbled backwards at the sudden release of temper, glanced once again at him then disappeared.  
  
Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could feel something, probably Mayon's soul, entering the body and pushing him out. Then the pain suddenly blinded him completely, and when he next time managed to put himself together he was laying on the ground in the form of Quis, panting from the effort of not screaming. Over him stood Mayon. The Dark Angel had his eyes closed, his fists were shaking and his head was thrown back. And as suddenly as it all had begun it stopped. Mayon took a deep, shuddering breath and opened his eyes. They were still pupil-less and glowing, but now they had gotten a silver shine to them.  
  
Harry gulped and scooted backwards. The voice had been right. He was afraid of being alone with the Dark Angel, yet he was also strangely fascinated. He hissed in pain when the injured wing scraped painfully on the ground, and Mayon turned towards him.  
  
'Oh. Shit.'  
  
'Good luck.'  
  
'Aren't you going to help me out here?'  
  
'A good voice knows when to mind its own business. Bye!'  
  
'Traitor.' Harry gulped once again and looked the tall man right into the eyes. 'I bequeath to Ron my Firebolt and the Invisibility Cloak, to Sirius and Remus the Marauders Map, and to Hermione all my books.'  
  
The Dark Angel smiled. To his surprise it wasn't cold as he had expected it to be. But warm and full of humour. He crouched down in front of Harry, the great black wings were folded out as to not get ruined.  
  
"Quite the Game you have going here, Harry Potter." Mayon said.  
  
"Got to have something to do." Harry tried to joke. His voice was shaking. Hell, all of him was shaking.  
  
Mayon laughed. It was a rich sound and calmed him slightly.  
  
"May I see the real face of the one who has brought me back?" he asked. Harry steeled his nerves, called up on all his Gryffindor courage and luck and changed back into himself. The Dark Angel studied his face for a time, then raised a hand and brushed his fringes away from the infamous scar on Harry's forehead. The man smiled once again. "So it is true. I was afraid that the King might be pulling my leg, as you mortals say it. The scar is real." He traced it gently. "It's an honour to have such a person as yourself Mr Potter, take my place for a couple of occasions. And I must say, the thing you did with that 'Dark Lord' of yours, Voldemort, wasn't it; well, I myself, couldn't have done it better."  
  
Harry finally relaxed completely. The Angel wasn't going to kill him for taking his place. He let out the breath he had no idea that he had been holding and changed back into Quis again.  
  
"Did you get my memories when you got your body back?" he asked. Now that all the nicy-nicies were out of the way, the Big Game was his first priority.  
  
"Yes, indeed I did. And before you ask, I will help you out any way I can. Even socialize with Cian and his vampires again." Mayon grinned. "In fact, I wouldn't miss this round of the Game for the world."  
  
'Is it safe?' the voice asked. Harry could imagine it peeking worriedly around a corner like a cartoon character.  
  
'Yes, it's safe. Can't say it was your doing, coward.'  
  
'Coward?!'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'Why you little...!' the voice went on a rant and Harry blocked it out of his head to the best of his abilities.  
  
Mayon was walking around testing his strength and powers and Hermione was still sleeping peacefully. It was all so peaceful. But he knew it wouldn't last. Mayon and Cian needed to sort out their pasts, and a certain Lily Joyleaf needed to pay a visit to her 'husband'.  
  
Harry smiled and leaned back against the tree. Tomorrow promised to be one heck of a day.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Cian sighed as he walked into the Great Hall the next morning. Ever since the RAV-meeting the rest of the staff had avoided him like the plague, except Severus Snape of course. Actually the Potion Master seemed to be more friendly towards him now that he knew that the DADA professor was a vampire. He would never understand that man.  
  
Then Harry had run off on that weird mystery mission of his. All the First Vampire knew was that it involved Hermione Granger, the Know-It-All from Gryffindor. Oh, he had to admit, the girl was cute, but he was a bit too old for her; besides, he was 'married' already to Lily Joyleaf, but not by choice.  
  
The vampire shook his head as he sat down at the Head Table. He always seemed to end up with the comedians, idiots, pranksters or people with an attitude problem. Couldn't anything be normal in his life?! Well, he had eternity to find that out so there was no hurry.  
  
Just as he was about to take a drink of his tea, the doors of the Hall flew open an in strode a manically grinning Lily Joyleaf. Her green robes flowed out behind her and her eyes sparkled with mischief. He stood up and met her in the middle of the Hall, and, to keep up appearances, hugged her tightly.  
  
"Where the hell have you been Potter?" he growled into the woman's ear.  
  
"All in due time, my friend." Came the answer. Harry pulled back out of his embrace. "So, how have you been darling?" he asked the vampire.  
  
"Good, the children here aren't that bad." Cian replied smiling. He took the others hand and led him... her... his companion, yeah, that would be the right word to describe this, to the Head table. He pulled out a chair for the Pretender and tucked her in before sitting down himself. "Lily, dear, on your immediate left is Severus Snape, the Potion Master. I think you remember him from a couple of months ago?"  
  
"Of course. How have you been Professor Snape?" Harry offered his hand to the Slytherin Head of House like any other person would.  
  
"Fine." Snape snapped and ignored the hand.  
  
Cian sighed and started to 'introduce' Harry to all the other teachers at the table. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling madly, McGonagall sent his 'wife' a rare smile, and the other teachers were a bit wary thinking that Lily must've been a vampire as well. The students stared at the new woman in awe, and more than one boy checked her out more than once.  
  
At the Gryffindor table Neville was trying hard not to stare, but he failed. This kind woman who had been like a favourite aunt to him was married to his Defence Professor?! He stared at her until she turned her head and looked him straight into to eyes. Lily waved and smiled kindly to him and he returned the smile. She signalled to him to meet her in the Defence classroom after the day was over, he nodded and she went back to talking to McGonagall.  
  
Just as Cian was going to excuse him and Harry and drag the Pretender to his rooms to get an explanation, the doors of the Great Hall banged open once again. Everything and everyone stopped as a thick mist seeped into the room, taking with it a chilly air. In the middle of the mist a huge, black shape was forming.  
  
The students gasped and the teachers stared open mouthed.  
  
Out of the mist came Mayon with Hermione Granger sleeping peacefully in his arms.  
  
'Harry, how the hell do you do that?' Cian asked. 'How can you be at two places at the same time?'  
  
'I am not in two places at the same time, Cian.' Harry replied. 'I'm sitting right here, playing the part of your wife.'  
  
'But if you're here, then who's that?' the First Vampire pointed discreetly at the Dark Angel.  
  
'Mayon.'  
  
"Impossible..." Cian stood up and walked to the front of the Head Table.  
  
Mayon's eyes never left him.  
  
"Hello, Theron, I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"  
  
Cian blinked twice, then fainted. His pride could go to hell, this was just too much for him to take in. He vaguely heard Harry calling him before everything went black.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Well, what do you think? I'm sorry for the hold up, but I got stuck on this chapter. Please review.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Naia, Misty DevilChild, SilverDawn, SayinShinigami, Kathleen, Korinna Myorin, Miranda Flairgold, Rachel A. Prongs, Dragonhope, Silver Earth Dragon, Rozs of the Angel, Copper Fire, Lady Foxfire, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Zaeria, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, RJLL, Witchmaster, Jarvey, Ruskbyte, Albus Dumbledore, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, WolfMoon, Corrie, daemonwolf, Rachel, TheUnknown, Katy999, bubblegum*girl, BloodRedSword, Sugar Quill, pyromancer, Ashley, Vicantis Ravenwind, Richan, Usaka, SSSRoaB, BlueDuck, coconut-ice agent h/h, Phoenix of the Burning Light, Arizosa, chaser and archie.  
  
Those who get a cookie:  
  
SilverDawn, SayinShinigami, Kathleen, Lady Foxfire, Zaeria, Witchmaster, Jarvey, Albus Dumbledore, daemonwolf, Katy999, Vicantis Ravenwind, coconut- ice agent h/h and archie.  
  
Was it really that easy to guess? I must be loosing my touch. 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Ever wonder what chickens do when you're not looking?  
  
-Chapter Sixteen-  
Harry ran over to the fallen vampire, quickly followed by Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall. Luckily Cian had just fainted and nothing else.  
  
"Mayon, you and your stupid entrances." He growled at the Dark Angel who just looked highly amused. "Could you please help me to bring him to his rooms, Professor?" the Pretender continued turning to Snape. The Potion Master took out his wand and levitated the First Vampire out of the Great Hall. "And you," Harry stood up and glared up at Mayon. "Are going to sit with him and make sure that he's alright."  
  
Everyone in the Hall had the pleasure of watching a Dark Angel stutter at being ordered around. Just before the man managed to put himself together, Harry grabbed his ear and started to drag him towards the doors. What surprised them was that Mayon didn't do anything to hurt the Pretender, just mumbled something about 'not the ear, not the ear' and 'pain unbearable'.  
  
"And while you're at it, put Ms Granger in the Hospital Wing." The Dark Angel was released and blew his bangs out of his face, before muttering something about crazy women and heading down the corridor. Harry looked around the room; several students had fainted, others were staring at him with their mouths open and eyes wide as dinner plates. Others again wanted to bolt for the owlery and write to their parents. "I am so sorry about this Professor Dumbledore." He said to the old mage as the man came closer.  
  
"Nothing to worry about, my dear." The old coot actually enjoyed all this! "I'm sure that everything will be back to normal soon enough. Now, off to your classes everyone." The students slowly filed out. "Lily, you wouldn't mind taking over your husbands classes until he wakes up, would you?"  
  
'Better say yes to that question, Harry. Or else the old man will get suspicious.' The voice told him.  
  
'You're right.' Harry replied and smiled charmingly at the other teachers. "I cannot promise anything, but I'll do my best."  
  
McGonagall smiled one of her rare smiles.  
  
"I'll show you the way to the office and classroom, I'm heading that way anyway." The Gryffindor Head of House told him.  
  
Harry smiled gratefully and followed the other woman out of the Great Hall, down several corridors and to the Defence classroom. He had Slytherin and Ravenclaw seventh years first. The Pretender sighed and entered the classroom, feeling everyone's eyes on him. He walked up to the desk and looked at the class.  
  
"Right, as my husband is... um... has fallen down on the job, I'll be taking over his classes. Now, did he tell you what you were supposed to be doing this class?"  
  
"No," a Slytherin replied, "but how do the two of you know a Dark Angel?"  
  
"Yeah, and why did he faint?"  
  
"Doesn't give a good impression of being a good DADA teacher if he faints after meeting a Dark Angel. Imagine what would happen if he met up with the Dark Lord." Several students snickered.  
  
Harry was glaring at the students and tapping his fingers dangerously slow at the desk. The whole class had completely forgotten that he was there, and were debating over the Dark Angel, Voldemort, Cian's ability to teach this class and how hot Lily Joyleaf was.  
  
"...yeah, and Boot said that the Dark Lord..."  
  
Harry stiffened.  
  
'I had almost forgotten about that little traitor from last year. What do we know about him?'  
  
'Lets see,' the voice pretended to think. 'He's a fifth year student... and that's about it.'  
  
'Well, first I know it can't be a Gryffindor, and the Phoenix Agents in Slytherin have kept me exceptionably updated on things in their House. Hufflepuff, well, I don't think we need to go there. That leaves Ravenclaw.'  
  
'It's logical, you know. The Ravenclaws are smart and very pompous. Give them a little finger and they'll take the whole bone.' The voice pointed out.  
  
'A fifth year Ravenclaw male. Who do we know in Ravenclaw that would be a likely candidate to join Voldie?'  
  
'Well, there's Terry Boot. His sister was a Death Eater under Riddle's last rise to power. Actually I think both his parents were too. They've always had a small reputation for being very interested in the Dark Arts; of course, the family says it's only for scientifically reasons.'  
  
'And since when did we believe in that?'  
  
'Since Fudge became Minister.'  
  
'Ok, you've got a point there.' Harry looked at the class. Unlike popular belief Slytherin students had friends in Ravenclaw. Both Houses were smart, tricky and wouldn't say no to power. Right now they were discussing the supposed Light side, the Dark side and the grey colours in between those two. The Pretender cleared his throat once, twice, but no one paid him any attention. 'Ok, I'm getting immensely pissed off over here.'  
  
'Can't blame you.'  
  
Harry decided it was time for revenge and grinned deviously. He used the Element of Earth and let it grow freely in the room. At once strong tendrils wrapped around the students legs, the chairs, desks, the shelves, everything that could be used for climbing. Suddenly a Ravenclaw shrieked and the students discovered what was happening. Slytherins started to try to wriggle free like a snake would, while the Ravenclaws started hexing their captors. But Harry's plants were too fast for them and soon enough only the students heads stuck out of green wrapping.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!"  
  
"I hope there's no bugs in these things!"  
  
"We've never learned anything about these kinds of plants in Herbology."  
  
"Hey, you," a Slytherin called Harry who was calmly going through papers on the desk. "Help us out of this!"  
  
"Why should I?" Harry asked. "With all the knowledge you posses, why do you even bother to take this class? I'm sure that you can figure your own way out." He went back to reading.  
  
"Please help us!" a Ravenclaw girl begged. "Why can't we do anything to this plant? Why haven't we learned about it in Herbology?"  
  
"Well, that is a simple question, Ms Higgins. These aren't normal plants, but the kind an Earth Elemental would use to protect him- or herself. This isn't something you get taught about because there are so few Elementals left; and to tell the truth, there isn't much you can do about your situation."  
  
"How did these things get here?" a Slytherin asked.  
  
"There's a simple answer to that as well, and I'm surprised you haven't guessed it yet." Harry didn't even look at the scared students. "I, Mr Chash, am an Elemental. The rest should be farley easy to guess. Now, as I seem to have gotten your attention at last..." he snapped his fingers and the plants retreated. The students sat down warily and started at him as if he had grown another head. "I'll ask once again, did my husband tell you what you were going to do this class?"  
  
----------------------  
  
Lily slumped into her husbands usual place at the Head Table, put her hands on the table and her head on them. Severus, who was sitting on her left, raised a curious eyebrow.  
  
"I have a totally new respect for my teachers." The woman looked up at him. "How in heavens name do you survive day after day with those children?"  
  
"As much as I loathe to admit it, you get used to it," the Potion Master had no idea why he was answering this woman's questions. Usually he would have ignored her completely.  
  
"I highly doubt that."  
  
He smirked.  
  
"Trouble in the classroom?"  
  
"Yes, well, only in the first class. This is the last time I manipulate Theron into anything, especially taking up a teaching position."  
  
"Manipulate?"  
  
"More or less." The woman put some food on her platter and started to eat. "Oh, by the way, I was wondering if you needed to restock your potion ingredients?" Lily continued. When Severus nodded she smiled. "Well, as long as it's a herb or something I can help you. I'm an Earth Elemental." She explained at his raised eyebrow.  
  
Snape's other eyebrow shot into the air.  
  
"Really? And what would you want in return, Mrs Joyleaf?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
"Please, call me Lily; and I don't want anything in return. Just repaying you for taking my husband to his rooms this morning."  
  
Neither of the two had noticed that Dumbledore and McGonagall were watching them with sad eyes.  
  
"Albus, you really don't think that..." Minerva began.  
  
"Unfortunately I do. Lily is an attractive woman after all. Poor Severus, doesn't know what hit him."  
  
"But she's married!"  
  
"I know, and he knows. That's why he keeps it to himself, hidden away in the innermost corner of his conscious. In fact," Albus continued, "I don't think he even knows about it yet."  
  
"Oh dear." The Deputy Headmistress looked back to the chatting pair in time to see the usually emotionless Head of Slytherin House smirk in amusement to something Lily had said. Oh dear indeed.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Both Cian and Mayon looked up when the door to the vampire's private chambers opened. They relaxed when they saw Lily enter. The Pretender smiled to them and collapsed onto the couch beside Cian.  
  
"Remind me never to manipulate you into another teaching position in the future." As the Pretender spoke the air around the body shimmered and in the end Harry was sitting where Lily sat a couple of seconds earlier.  
  
Cian chuckled.  
  
"That bad?" Mayon asked with a smile.  
  
"Compared to teaching, Voldie doesn't seem too bad." Harry looked at them. "You two sorted out whatever you needed to?" they nodded. "Great! And Mayon, sorry about this morning."  
  
"No need to apologise, my friend; very few people have stood up to me since I was a child. It was refreshing."  
  
"Hmm, you should pay a visit to Snape then if you want something refreshing." Harry smirked. "But right now I need your help with something."  
  
"We're listening."  
  
"Good, now, here's the thing," the two immortals leaned closer as the young man explained his plan. Soon both began to smirk, and in the end the Dark Angel laughed out loud. A dark, devious laugh that would send shivers down even Voldemort's back.  
  
Cian just stared at the young Gryffindor.  
  
"You sure the Hat put you in the right House?" he asked.  
  
"Yes I'm sure!" Harry exclaimed. "Why does everyone ask me that?"  
  
-------------------------  
  
Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but I just had no idea what to write! Please review.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Ulalei, unknown, Fair Lady Ravenclaw, WolfMoon, AirElemental101, wquad, RJLL, Blind Joker, Lady FoxFire, Rachel A. Prongs, aurora*sky, sadie- IceBlade, smilez, Korinna Myorin, Naia, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, Corrie, Rogue1615, The Dark Dragon Angel, daemonwolf, chaser, Katy999, Witchmaster, Ambre, SSSRoaB, Phoenix of the Burning Light, bubblegum*girl, Zaeria, Arizosa, Dragonhope, Angel of Sorrow, Sugar Quill, Lukaret, Arianne, coconut-ice agent h/h, Death-Demon Xero, BOB and ( ). 


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rolwing.  
  
Authors Note: Sorry for the wait, but I've been sick the last couple of days.  
  
-Chapter Seventeen-  
Mayon grinned as a couple of Hufflepuff students ran down the corridor screaming that it was the end of the world. How he loved terrifying people. If he hadn't been on a mission from Harry to talk to and annoy the resident Potion Master, he would've followed the two students.  
  
The Dark Angel walked down the steps and into the Hogwarts dungeons. A Slytherin student pressed up against the wall in fear as he passed, and another who'd just been exiting the common room, went straight back in. Life was good.  
  
The office of the Slytherin Head of House wasn't too far from his classroom, and mindful of his wings Mayon entered without knocking. He just went straight through the wall.  
  
Severus Snape was grading essays, but looked up when Mayon cleared his throat loudly. The black-eyed man slowly put his quill down and stood up just as slowly, and it surprised the Dark Angel a bit when he noticed that Snape was nearly as tall as he himself was.  
  
"May I help you?"  
  
"Yes, actually you may." The Dark Angel replied. When Snape made no move to ask him to sit down or offer him tea, Mayon continued: "As this undoubtedly will take a great deal of time, how about we sit down in those chairs by that inviting fire?"  
  
"I doubt I could stop you," the Slytherin mumbled, but motioned to the black chairs with deep green snake-like patterns embroidered. He sat himself in the other chair and turned to Mayon who was busy trying to fit his wings into the winged chair. In the end the Dark Angel gave up, and let the wings go straight through the back of the chair. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about? And why couldn't you have gone to some other teacher?"  
  
"Do you remember last year when Rex Chase mentioned that Death Eater spy in the school?" Mayon waited for the other man to nod before continuing. "We have just discovered exactly who it is."  
  
"Are you planning on making me wait here forever, or are you going to tell me who the little traitor is?" Snape asked after a while in silence.  
  
"I was thinking of playing 20 Questions with you, but since you don't seem up for it right now, I think I'll skip it." Mayon carefully noted that the man opposite him didn't offer himself to beg on his knees for the answer.  
  
"Too damn you will, now who is it?"  
  
"Terry Boot, Ravenclaw 6th year."  
  
"Logical." The Potion Master mumbled and stared into the fire. "How is Chase by the way?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"Fine as far as I know, why?"  
  
"Just some rumours I've picked up," Snape's black eyes turned back to him. "As I have no idea how to contact Chase, I guess you'll have to convey the message."  
  
"And what's the message?"  
  
"Voldemort's planning on capturing him," came the blunt answer.  
  
Harry was definitely not going to like that one.  
  
"You can consider it done," Mayon said, then he grinned. Time to explore what kind of person this Potion Master was, and at the same time annoy him to hell and back. Damn, was he multitalented.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Ok, so Harry admitted that he was dead tired. Right after the planning with Cian and Mayon he had met Neville in the form of Lily Joyleaf in Cian's office. They had only had some small talk and a cup of tea and that would have been it hadn't Mayon told him about the Dark Lord's plan to capture Rex Chase; however, the last couple of days had finally caught up with him and right now he couldn't care if the apocalypse was coming, he was going to sleep.  
  
Not bothering to change clothes, Harry just fell onto the bed after taking off his glasses, and in the nest second he was asleep.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry watched from a perspective that only a satellite would have, as England came into view. He went lower still, and soon names started to appear on the various cities and hills. Here was London, and there was Birmingham. He flew further north towards Scotland, and stopped right above Edinburgh. His attention however, was not drawn to the city itself, but out towards sea. Even with his sharp sight it would have been impossible to see the island that came into view.  
  
But before he could discover the name of the island, a knocking from somewhere distracted him. Harry looked around and found a window hanging in mid air, with a very distressed Athan flying outside. How the hell did that immortal end up in his dream anyways? He decided to ignore the vampire, and focused back on the island.  
  
'Potter! Open up before I wake up the whole damn castle! POTTER!!!!!'  
  
~*~  
  
'POTTER!!!!!!'  
  
Harry sat up in bed and looked around. And sure enough, Athan was flying right outside the window to the Gryffindor boy's 6th year dorms, looking wildly around. And if that wasn't enough, Zev was floating right behind the other man glaring at everything that even dared to move in his presence.  
  
'This better be good, or I swear I'll knock those two out of the air.'  
  
'What? Not happy to see them again?'  
  
'Ah, the ever annoying voice returns. And for your information, no I'm not happy to see them. The two of them in the same room is like putting Sirius and Snape together with their wands.'  
  
'Oi, you're right about that one.' The voice was quiet for a while. 'Well? Are you going to open the window or not?'  
  
'You know as well as I do that they can get in without my help.'  
  
'It's called manners, though I highly doubt you ever heard of that.'  
  
'Now you sound like Snape.'  
  
'Harry, don't be disgusting!'  
  
Harry chuckled and stood up. He silently made his way across the room between his dorm-mate's occupied beds, and opened the window.  
  
Sticking his head out, he glared at the two vampires.  
  
"What?" he hissed.  
  
"Can we come in?" Athan asked. "It's bloody freezing out here!"  
  
"Can't say I feel sorry for you."  
  
"You're a heartless man, Harry Potter."  
  
"And I care?"  
  
"Mr Potter," Zev spoke up. "You will let us in or you won't get to know the message that we carry."  
  
"So sure of yourself, aren't you Master Zev?" Harry asked in amusement, and let the full force of his power show. The vampire would have fallen to the ground in shock hadn't Athan grabbed him in time. "Oh very well, get in; but if you even think about... munching or snacking on any person inside this school, you'll wish you never met me."  
  
"I already wish I hadn't met you," Athan joked. "After I got to know you, my life became more action filled and dangerous than ever."  
  
"You'll get hooked on it after a while, Athan; this way." Harry led them to his bed, waited until the two vampires were inside before closing the curtains and casting Silencing and Privacy Spells. Then he lit up the place with a simple 'lumos'.  
  
"Now, may I inquire as to why the two of you are here?" the Gryffindor asked, his green eyes boring into the two immortals.  
  
"We were on our way to our sleeping places after another incredibly boring meeting, when we came across a certain couple of Death Eaters."  
  
"Really? Care to tell me who they were, I'm not up to guessing games right now?"  
  
"Malfoy sr., and a Mr Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"Yes indeed it was. With a little help of our Mind-Reading talent, we managed to discover some vital plans of the Dark Lord. For example, he's planning on capturing Rex Chase. He's planning on attacking the Order of the Phoenix, and he's also planning on capturing you."  
  
"Again? Does that guy never learn?"  
  
'He does. For every time you escape, he learns something new about your character and abilities. Of course, that was before you became a Pretender.'  
  
'God, I hate Dark Lord's.'  
  
'Welcome to the club.'  
  
Harry looked up at the two vampires.  
  
"As long as you're here, perhaps you should pay a visit to Cian? I suspect he might have something to tell you." It was a spur-of-the-moment thing to say, and it felt strangely right. Athan and Zev nodded and Harry sent them a mental image of the way to the First Vampire's rooms. A second later both of them were gone, not a trace left.  
  
'Why me?'  
  
'C'est la vie.' The voice replied comfortingly. 'Not even Fate, Destiny and I have control of everything. Magic really cannot be fully controlled. It lives its own life, choosing whomever it wants to be its bearer. Its complicated.'  
  
'Then why the hell didn't Riddle stay as a Muggle?'  
  
'I guess it was just meant to be.'  
  
'This gets weirder by the second.' Harry sighed and went back to bed.  
  
----------------------  
  
Lord Voldemort was gazing upon the captive. The normally honey-coloured skin was pale as marble and stained with blood. The normally shining black hair was dull, and the proud eyes seemed broken. In fact, the whole creature was broken.  
  
"Now, my dearest immortal," the Dark Lord began, "tell me who the first of your kind is and I'll let you go, even pay you with blood."  
  
"... never..." came the weak, quiet whisper.  
  
"Never say never, as the saying goes. We'll get the truth out of you in the end," he smirked. "Of course, it would be less painful if you just gave up being so Gryffindor-ish. All I want is to talk to the First Vampire."  
  
"... go to hell..."  
  
"Already been there and back." Voldemort crouched low, and whispered into the creatures ear: "Don't be stupid like your mate, or you're going to end up in the same way. Either you tell me the name of the First Vampire, or you do the job yourself."  
  
"I-I'll never make you one of us." A note of anger had crept into the once- broken voice. The numerous cuts and wounds slowly began to heal and strength began to return to the body.  
  
"Foolish bravery." Riddle shook his head and straightened. "I was right, you are a Gryffindor through and through. Oh well, have it your way." He drew his wand and pointed it at the man lying at his feet.  
  
With all the strength he could muster, the captive suddenly jumped up. Ignoring his protesting limbs and his weakness, he set towards the only window in the room and threw himself through it in the nick of time. But now he faced another enemy. The dawn.  
  
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I know, short again. I'm doing my best here. Also, I'm going away for a couple of days next week, so I'm not sure if there'll be an update before that. You can always hope.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Zaeria, zita, Rogue1615, Blind Joker, Korinna Myorin, life, wquad, WolfMoon, chaser, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, Katy999, Ashley, Phoenix of the Burning Light, Lukaret, Richan, Fage of Hyren, phoenixrising, Lucy, Amber Evans Potter, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, SilverDawn, Arianne, AirElemental101, fairymagic689, icedrake, bubblegum*girl, Rachel A. Prongs, Glasen Dauthi, smilez, daemonwolf, Arizosa, gaul2000, Sami Athelia Hall, Ruskbyte, Rei, Copper Fire, serapotter, Anna, JerseyGirl03, coconut-ice agent h/h, Witchmaster, etterdanreb and Dragonhope. 


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: I really had no idea that it was two months since I last updated! Oh, my! Hope you like this chapter and thanks to my wonderful betas Tabitha and Lexi-formerly Katy999.  
  
Authors Note2: This is the un-betaed version. The correct one will be up as soon as my betas have finished with it.  
  
-Chapter Eighteen-  
  
Hermione woke up sometimes next afternoon. She blinked at the white ceiling of the Hospital Wing for some time before she managed to get at least a vague outline of what had happened last night.  
  
She sighed. Quis was a mystery that she just couldn't get her mind off of, and she wasn't so sure that she wanted to get her mind off of him either. It was all so confusing.  
  
Looking at the bracelet that the demon had given her. It looked quite ordinary now as the sunlight hit it from one of the windows, but last night it had... well, looked like pure magic materialized. Intricate patterns went all around it, and a golden 'Q' was set at the top. She traced it gently, smiling to herself.  
  
A voice from somewhere behind the curtains startled her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Come on Madam Pomfrey!" Ron's voice exclaimed. "We've got to get her homework to her or else she'll go bananas!"  
  
"What he's trying to say," Harry's calm voice explained, "is that if we don't give Herm her homework right now, you're going to have two new patients in here by the time she's done with us."  
  
"Oh, alright, but don't be too long - gods knows what she went through in the Forbidden Forest - and try not to mention anything about it."  
  
There were hurried footsteps, then Ron and Harry appeared by her bed. Ron dumped the workload at the bedside table, then sat down on the bed. Harry sat down in a chair.  
  
"Cool bracelet 'Mione." Harry said calmly.  
  
Ron gently grabbed her arm and lifted it so that he could see. "Damn, where did you get it? It must be worth a fortune! What's the 'Q' for? What happened in the Forest? Why weren't you in classes yesterday? How the hell did you end up in the arms of an Angel?"  
  
"One thing at the time, Ron." Hermione laughed. "I'll tell you the whole story, just calm down." And she did just that. She told them about the flash of light she had seen, the long search through the Forest, the dream she had had in the summer and meeting Quis. "Oh, you two would just love him!"  
  
"Herm, he's a demon. Evil. Dark Arts. Any of this ring any bells?" Harry asked.  
  
"He's not like that Harry, he even gave me this bracelet so that I could call up on him if I ever needed help." She stuck her wrist under the green- eyed boy's nose. "Trust me on this, ok? Quis even protected me through the night and got Mayon to carry me here."  
  
Harry seemed to think over it for a long time. "Alright, I'll lay off for now. But if there's even the slightest chance of him hurting you, tell someone at once."  
  
"Of course Harry." Hermione sighed happily. "How much is the clock?" she asked.  
  
Ron looked at his watch. "Oh no! Harry! We have five minutes to get to DADA!"  
  
"See you later Herm!" Harry grinned to her and hurried off, Ron at his heels.  
  
The bushy-haired girl smiled. She really could not imagine her life without Harry and Ron in it.  
  
Harry was like the older brother. Even in first year he had protected her, and she had seen a glimpse of what he could be capable off every year since, but his talents had really bloomed in fifth year. There was a certain deadly grace about the way he moved and the green eyes shone with wisdom. She could see why Voldemort wanted him out of the way.  
  
And then there was Ron. She wasn't sure about him. Oh, she did love him, though she wasn't sure if it was completely platonic. He always protected hers and Harry's honour, and he had a great mind for tactics and he really did look cute when he frowned over a chess board... wait a minute, where did that thought come from?  
  
Hermione shook her head and leaned back on her pillows. She decided to let it go for now and picked up the first assignment that she had to finish. She wasn't ready to go down that path yet.  
  
-------------------------  
  
To say that Cian had been surprised when Athan and Zev suddenly had showed up in his rooms, was an understatement. There had been a moment or two of panic when Athan and Zev had met up with Mayon, but the Dark Angel had somehow managed to calm the two freaking vampires enough to tell his tale.  
  
When Cian had asked the two black-haired men why they were there, they said that Harry sent them, and, lookie, lookie, at that exact moment a cry for help had reached them. Zev, Athan and Mayon had quickly followed the cry to its origin and had yet to return.  
  
The First Vampire sighed and entered the classroom. He really needed to have a long chat with Potter and ask him to stop manipulating his vampires to the boy's own needs. Though, even if he was reluctant to admit it, the young man deserved respect. He was even more discreet than Dumbledore!  
  
"Alright, class, today we're going to look into the subject of harpies. Now, who here can tell me how many species of harpies we have in the world today and where to find them?" he looked around the room. Harry was sitting in the back looking slightly bored. Several other students had raised their hands eagerly, and to the surprise of all Neville Longbottom was one of the first to do so. "Yes, Mr Longbottom?"  
  
"There are four types of harpies," Neville said more confidently than expected. "The howling harpy, the claw harpy and the stare harpy aren't dangerous, though stare harpies can be extremely annoying. And last there's the wild harpy, which is extremely dangerous as it won't stop following its prey until the person is dead."  
  
"Very good Mr Longbottom, do you perhaps know where these four can be found?"  
  
"Um, in the forest of Norway, Sweden, Russia and Siberia, and in Canada."  
  
"Harpies really seem to be your subject, Mr Longbottom, care to tell us why you're so interested in these creatures?"  
  
"My uncle Bobby was annoyed by a stare harpy for several decades before she decided that he wasn't worth her affection." Neville answered and the class snickered.  
  
"Oh, my, quite a situation you uncle got into." Cian couldn't help but chuckle. Life at Hogwarts was never boring, that was the only thing you could really count on in this castle. "Okay, class, I want you to read the part about harpies in your books and start writing a two foot essay on it. I want it in by next Defence class. And Mr Potter, please come with me." He smiled to his students, and entered his office.  
  
Harry followed the immortal into the other room and sat down. "Is something wrong?" the Gryffindor asked.  
  
"Could you please stop manipulating my vampires around? Please? Look I'm even begging you here!"  
  
"What do you mean Cian? I just suggested that Athan and Zev visit you while they were here, is there a crime in that?"  
  
There really should be laws against looking so innocent while being so deviously evil as Potter was. Cian took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, he was really beginning to loose his patience with Harry, and if the boy didn't stop manipulating the vampires around he was going to do something drastic.  
  
"Please, Harry, listen to me now. I won't even begin to guess what you need vampires for in your Game, but please ask us before doing something that could involve one of us directly. I'm beginning to loose track of all the really dangerous vampires out there, and that's because I'm concentrating on trying to counter your movements to some degree. And either way it's grating on my nerves. So if you don't stop it - or tone it down - I'm not going to take blame for what some vampire do to you. Vampires, Harry, do not like being manipulated or told what to do. You can ask us for favours and then we'll see, but stop manipulating us!" at the end of the tirade, Cian's golden eyes had started glowing, and Harry could feel the power the First Vampire possessed.  
  
'You better agree to this Harry.' The voice spoke up. 'He is right you know. Vampires absolutely hate being manipulated and governed over.'  
  
"Alright Cian, I'll stop manipulating you around, though I hope you won't mind it too much if I slip up now and then?" Harry asked.  
  
Cian snorted and the power in the room diminished. "You slip up? Bah, that'd be the day!"  
  
Harry chuckled and didn't bother to correct the vampire. Together they headed back to the waiting class. Ron shot Harry a curious glance but Harry shook his head and mouthed 'later'. The rest of the class went by calmly and soon the sixth year Gryffindors headed off to Care of Magical Creatures wondering if they'd live to see lunch.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry sighed and tuned out Hagrid who was droning on and on about phoenixes. He had borrowed Fawkes for this lesson, and the fiery bird was sitting on his perch watching the combined Gryffindor-Slytherin class with black, bottomless, wise eyes.  
  
'I don't think I will ever understand vampires.' He thought to himself.  
  
'I practically created them and I don't understand them,' the voice told him comfortingly. 'So don't worry, you're not the only one who doesn't under stand them.'  
  
'I am sooooooo happy to hear that.'  
  
'No need to be so sarcastic.' It mumbled grumpily.  
  
'By the way, how's the Mayon-Bianca romance coming along?' Harry asked as Hagrid began to tell the students about Fawkes.  
  
'Not very well.' The voice replied sounding worried. 'Bianca is fuming and Mayon is off on a mission along with Athan and Zev to save another vampire. I'm not sure if they actually managed to save him yet.' The voice was quest for a while. 'You want to help me play matchmaker?'  
  
'Why should I stick my nose into others business?'  
  
'Because if you don't, both Mayon and Bianca will die. You see, when an Angel finds their mate they have to bond as soon as possible. If they don't they'll both die. And this time it's the real death, as in no coming back.'  
  
'Alright I'll help you, but you take the blame if Mayon gets pissed off.'  
  
'Sure, whatever, now pay attention to the lesson.' The voice replied smugly.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and looked back to Hagrid. Students were coming up to Fawkes and petting him carefully. The phoenix looked slightly bored, but then he spotted Harry and spread his wings. Pansy Parkingson shrieked and fell backwards when the bird took to the air, and the whole class watched in interest to see where the phoenix would go. They were slightly surprised when Fawkes landed on Harry's arm and Harry started petting it as though they had gone through this countless times before.  
  
"I guess we should be too surprised by this, huh?" Seamus said once they were heading back. "I mean, every creature seems to like Harry."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Harry muttered. He shared a look with Ron, both of them remembering the acromantulas in their second year. They shuddered and entered the castle. Suddenly Harry stopped. Malfoy was coming up from the Slytherin dungeons along with Parkingson and other sixth years. The Gryffindor had almost forgotten that he had promised himself to take revenge for what the blonde idiot did to Hedwig.  
  
"You guys go ahead," he told his classmates. "I have a score to settle."  
  
Ron looked curiously at him, spotted Malfoy and grinned. "Come on," the redhead herded the others towards the Hospital Wing. "Lets visit Hermione."  
  
"But-" Seamus tried to protest to no avail. Ron was determined and soon enough they had disappeared around a corner.  
  
Harry grinned evilly and made himself look small, frightened, insecure - well, generally the way Neville looked like. Then he started towards the stairs that would lead him to the Gryffindor common room. Just as he had suspected, Malfoy and his gang picked up on his fear like a real snake would, and almost as one they turned towards him. Harry made himself look even more frightened, squeaked when the group started towards him and ran off.  
  
It was a wild chase through the corridors of Hogwarts. Harry always made sure that the Slytherins saw glimpses of him and then would disappear. Soon enough the group split up and the Pretender grinned deviously. They had just made his job heck of a lot easier.  
  
The first who was knocked out was Pansy Parkingson. Harry snuck up behind the girl while she was looking after him in a corridor, stupefied her and dragged her into an unused classroom.  
  
The next two to fall were Millicent Bulstrode and Gregory Goyle. The Gryffindor took out a pouch filled with bluish silver powder, threw it in the air and used Air to blow it over to his two victims. Seconds later they fell over, deep asleep. He put them in the same room as Parkingson, and went in search of Malfoy and Crabbe.  
  
The last two Slytherins were going through classrooms and searching for hidden passages.  
  
"Be careful Crabbe," Malfoy said. "Even if Potter looked more scared than Longbottom in Potion class, I have a feeling he's playing with us. Don't underestimate him, and watch out for anything unusual."  
  
Crabbe nodded dumbly to everything Malfoy said and continued to search behind a statue. Harry grinned and quickly transfigured an inkwell into a cupcake. He levitated it and made sure that Crabbe would find it. Everything went as planned. Crabbe saw the cupcake and went to grab it, but it flew out of his reach. The same thing happened the next time he tried to take it, and he followed. Soon the bulky Slytherin was far away from Malfoy and Harry petrified him and put him in the classroom where the others were.  
  
'Now for Malfoy.' He thought and hurried through secret corridors until he found the blonde looking around for his bodyguard.  
  
"Crabbe? Where the hell have you disappeared off to?" he looked worriedly around. "Crabbe? Bulstrode? Parkingson?"  
  
Harry chuckled and made the corridor go pitch black.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Draco looked wildly around as the corridor was bathed into darkness. Something was really wrong here. He knew he shouldn't have followed Potter, but that scared look on the others face had been too tempting to resist.  
  
Suddenly he saw a weak ghost-like silvery light shining from around the bend in the corridor, and he hurried towards it.  
  
'I really am not liking this silence.' The thought hadn't even finished forming before he heard another set of footstep coming towards him. Draco walked even faster towards the light, his wand clutched in his white- knuckled hand.  
  
he finally rounded the corner and his mouth dropped open in a silent scream.  
  
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Sorry for the long wait. I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner. Please review.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
WolfMoon, Lady FoxFire, Rachel A. Prongs, icedrake, coconut-ice agent h/h, chaser, Amber Evans Potter, Illusia, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, fairymagic689, life, JerseyGirl03, Judy-niteshade, Fage of Hyren, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Zaeria, MJ, lollipozz, Korinna Myorin, Makina Kitsune, Lexi-formerly Katy999, Lady Reaper of the Shadows, Miranda Flairgold, Eclipze, Witchmaster, ettedaneb, SSSRoaB, CG Anna Marie, Dragonhope, Hikari Kura, Lukaret, pyromancer, aurora*sky, Naia, bubblegum*girl, misses-nugget, Richan, TimI, Aphreal Akuma, daemonwolf, Willowstar, james porter, Legacy(FD)x, DeathWalker, Corrie, fan, yourfan, Lá 's oích, HexMaster, Annelise, stormmy and Ashitaba. 


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: This is the un-beta-ed version. The correct one will be up as soon as my betas are done.  
  
Authors Note2: There's a little surprise for you at the end of this chapter. Enjoy.  
  
-Chapter Nineteen-  
  
.  
  
Draco stared and stared and stared some more. The creature in front of him couldn't be anything else but a demon. It had huge bat-like wings, yellow eyes and swirl-y patterns went all over the body.  
  
The Slytherin gulped. The demon was staring straight at him, and it wasn't one of those I-want-to-hug-you looks.  
  
(You!) the voice yelled inside his head and Draco hissed in pain. He hated headaches. (You have wronged my friend!)  
  
"I have no idea of what you're talking about." Draco said.  
  
(I think you do, human! And to get my point through, I'll let you experience the pain the poor creature went through when you nearly killed her.) The eyes glowed even more.  
  
"Are you talking about Potter's owl last year?" Draco asked. He opened his mouth to say something else, but was hit with wave upon wave with pain. It wasn't as bad as the Cruciatus Curse but, unlike the curse, it centred around his heart. He fell to the floor and gasped for breath. "P... please! M-make it... s-stop!"  
  
(That is exactly what Hedwig felt when you tried to colour her green and silver, Malfoy. I am warning you to stay away from Harry's pet from now on, or I swear you'll wish you never were born! Am I clear?!) the demon glared at him. Draco could only nod his head. (Don't worry about the pain, it'll be gone soon enough.) With a blinding flash of light the demon disappeared.  
  
Draco lay gasping on the floor as the pain slowly retreated. He didn't move until Snape and McGonagall came around the corner.  
  
"Mr Malfoy, what happened?!" the Slytherin Head of House asked. "We just found Parkingson, Crabbe, Goyle and some others stupefied or petrified in a classroom just around the corner, and none of them could tell us what happened."  
  
"N-nothing happened Professor." Draco replied quietly still trying to catch his breath.  
  
"Then off with you Mr Malfoy," McGonagall said. "We already sent the others back to the Slytherin common rooms, and I would advise you to follow them as it is time to get to bed - even if you're a Prefect. Run along now." She gently pushed him towards the stairs.  
  
"Yes ma'am." The young blonde staggered down the corridor without even having glared at the Head of Gryffindor.  
  
McGonagall and Snape exchanged worried and curious looks as they watched the only Malfoy heir meekly make his way back to his common room.  
  
"Should we be worried, Severus?" Minerva asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I'll keep an eye at him," the Potion Master started walking down the corridor and towards Ravenclaw Tower. "Coming, Minerva?"  
  
"Of course." She hurried up to him. "However, I still can't understand how you came upon this information."  
  
"A... royal and a bird told me." Severus replied in true Slytherin style.  
  
The Deputy Headmistress shook her head. "Well, I just hope it's correct."  
  
"Oh, I do believe it is. Now lets get going."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry grinned as he watched the two Professors disappear around the corner. He cancelled the Chameleon Charm and stepped out from behind the statue. First of all he had gotten revenge on Malfoy and he was getting rid of Terry Boot the Spy. Life really couldn't be better!  
  
'Don't get too smug now.' The voice warned him.  
  
'I know, I know, you pompous old idiot. Don't be such a spoilsport.'  
  
The voice mimicked him angrily for a minute then turned serious. 'We really have to get Bianca and Mayon together soon, preferably within this day. Time's running out for the two of them.'  
  
'I take it you have a plan, then?' Harry asked the voice in amusement.  
  
'Of course I do, wouldn't have brought it up otherwise. Now, when Mayon returns you take care of him and send him to the secret room opposite Cadigan's picture. I'll take care of Bianca. Got it?'  
  
'Sir, yes, sir.'  
  
The voice sighed. 'If everyone of my minions were as obedient as you, I would be able to die happy.'  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated whoosh of air. 'Heaven give me patience.' He thought.  
  
'Give you patience for what?'  
  
'My point was just pointed out.'  
  
'What? Come on, what's going on? What? What? What?!'  
  
'Merlin's beard!' Harry walked quickly towards the hospital wing. It was time to visit Hermione again and see if he couldn't get some information out of her. He really had no idea what might have frightened her so much, and he absolutely had no idea when it might have happened.  
  
'Well, can't say you were there with them so much last year.' The voice pointed out. 'I told you that this wouldn't be-'  
  
A mental scream cut the voice off: 'HARRY!!!!!!'  
  
'Cian! What's going on?!' Harry asked as he turned and ran towards the rooms of the First Vampire.  
  
'We need your Healing abilities. Get here as fast as you can!'  
  
'I'm on my way!' Harry put up an extra burst of speed. He ran through some unused passages, ploughed through a group of first-years who parted at once when they saw him, and soon was standing outside the painting that guarded the door to Cian's chambers. 'I'm here!'  
  
A second later the door opened and the First Vampire stuck his head out. "Get in!"  
  
Harry got through and stopped dead in his tracks. Athan, Zev and Mayon were doing what they could for a person who was placed on the couch. After some close examination Harry realised the bloodied, pale, thin, weak person on the couch was Ramsis.  
  
"What happened?" he asked as he placed a hand on the vampire's forehead and one on his stomach.  
  
"Voldemort." Athan growled. "He wanted Ramsis to either tell him who the First Vampire was, or to turn him into a vampire himself."  
  
"We found him falling from on of the top-most floors in Voldemort's fortress," Mayon continued. "If we hadn't arrived the dawn would have taken him; either that, or he would have died due to his wounds."  
  
"What do you mean with 'if we hadn't arrived'. I didn't know that the two of you could walk around in sunlight." The last part was said to Athan and Zev.  
  
"We can't," Zev sneered. "But Mayon gathered the shadows around us in a ball, no sunshine could penetrate that thing. We spent some of the day sleeping in an old unused churchyard."  
  
"Voldie sure as hell is getting bolder." Harry muttered and then concentrated completely on the Healing. He sent a careful, steady stream of magic through Ramsis' broken body. His hands glowed golden and the wounds that hadn't been healed by the vampire himself, slowly disappeared. Colour returned to Ramsis' face, and soon he regained the healthy tan he had had the first time Harry had met him.  
  
"Is he going to be alright?" Cian asked when Harry sat back.  
  
"He is, just need some rest and blood," the Gryffindor rubbed his eyes. "Don't you vampires have your own Healer? You have no idea how hard it is to Heal one of you."  
  
"We... had a Healer." Athan replied. "You remember Pyralis? She was Ramsis' mate. Voldemort killed her first."  
  
"My condolences."  
  
"It happens."  
  
They were quiet a minute before Harry stood up. "I have to get going, lots to do. Oh, and Mayon, could you please pop over to the secret room behind Sir Cadigan's picture for me?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I need a letter from the room and don't have time to go there myself. Not right now, and I highly doubt I'll have time enough later this week."  
  
"Alright, when do you need it?"  
  
"Um, sometimes around seven o'clock."  
  
"Consider it done."  
  
Harry smiled and left. It was time to see how Hermione was doing.  
  
When he got to the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey told him that Hermione had left earlier and had headed outside saying she was going to visit a new friend.  
  
'You don't think that... do you?' Harry asked the voice.  
  
'I believe I do. You better get out there fast.' Harry sighed and hurried into a shadowy alcove. He gathered the shadows tighter around him just in case and Disapparated. He appeared again in the clearing where Hermione had met Quis for the first time. 'Quickly now, change!'  
  
Harry changed into Quis and sat down against a tree, and a second later Hermione appeared and slowly made her way into the valley.  
  
(What brings you here today?) he asked without getting up but went back to staring into the water.  
  
"I... I just couldn't stay at the school anymore. Everyone pampered me, asked me if I was alright, where I'd been, and so on. I got sick of it," the Gryffindor pulled out a little basket from her pocket and her wand from another. Then she enlarged the basket and put it on the ground. After that she Transfigured a stone into a blanket and placed it on the ground. She started pulling out food and whatnot from the basket. "I also thought we might have a picnic."  
  
Harry stared at her in amusement. (Sorry to break it to you, but I don't eat human food. But you go ahead.)  
  
Hermione sighed. "Well, it was worth the try, right?" she took a bite out of a sandwich. "What do demons eat?" she looked over at Quis who looked slightly uncomfortable.  
  
(We, um, we feed on, um, human fears and nightmares,) he admitted. (And while we're on the topic, what has been scaring you? What are you afraid off?)  
  
"I'd rather not talk about it, not yet." Hermione replied quickly and looked away from the yellow eyes.  
  
(Alright, but haven't you told your friends?)  
  
"No, I... I guess I'm a bit scared on how they'd react. Both of them are two of the bravest people I have ever met, and I don't think they'd take well to me being afraid of one of the first-years and a very good friend of ours."  
  
(Ah,) Harry filed the information away for later examination. (But if these friends of yours are true friends, they won't judge you on your fears. Instead, I dare say, they will help you overcome them.)  
  
"Yes, you're probably right, but still..." Hermione watched the creak in silence while Harry watched her.  
  
(Shouldn't you be getting back to school?) Harry asked.  
  
"No, I told Ron I'd probably be out the whole night so that they shouldn't worry."  
  
'I don't want to play babysitter!' the voice cried.  
  
'Neither do I,' Harry grumbled. (Oh? And where are you going if I might ask?)  
  
"I'm going to be here with you," Hermione replied. "I didn't finish telling you everything about humans last time." She was sure that if Quis had had eyebrows, one of them would be raised.  
  
(There's more to know about your race?) he asked in surprise.  
  
"Of course there is. Now, where were we?"  
  
(You stopped when you came to the early Viking-age.) Harry resigned himself to another couple of hours listening to Hermione and acting interested. Gods help him.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Severus had been lurking in the shadows around Ravencalw Tower for two hours when the person he was waiting for decided to appear. The boy looked around then hurried down the corridor, not knowing he had a devious, smirking Potion Master hot on his heels.  
  
The Head of Slytherin followed his student to an old, unused classroom where not even Peeves entered. He quickly got in while the little brat wasn't paying attention - Invisibility Potions were wonderful things - and placed himself in a corner, waiting for just the right moment to attack his prey.  
  
The Ravenclaw went over to the only thing noticeable in the room, an old fireplace, and took out some Floo-powder. He lit a fire and threw the powder into it, then stuck his head into the green flames while the rest of his body was standing in the room. He whispered a word and started to talk quietly with someone at the other side.  
  
Severus smirked and stepped out of the shadows. He whispered the word that would deactivate the potion and silently walked over to the kneeling boy. He let his hand land on the boy's shoulder and smirked evilly as the terrified boy looked up at him.  
  
"I think, Mr Boot, it's time we had a chat with the Headmaster." His evil smirk intensified. "He really doesn't like not knowing what goes on at this school. Come along."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Mayon grumbled as he appeared outside the painting with Sir Cadogan. Why had he asked a House Elf of all things the directions to this room was a great mystery.  
  
"Stand and fight, whatever you are!" Sir Cadogan yelled swinging his sword. "I am the brave Sir Cadogan, and no one can get past without my approval. Now fight!" he tried to stab the Dark Angel.  
  
Mayon stared at the painting, he wasn't impressed at all. In the end Cadogan got tired of his tirade and asked him what he wanted. "I need to get into the room you guard. Harry sent me to get something for him."  
  
"Ah, a good lad, he is. Well, good sir, if Sir Harry trust you I'll trust you," the painting swung outwards revealing the white stone. Mayon pressed it and the door on the opposite wall appeared. "When you see Sir Harry again will you ask him to visit me?"  
  
"Sure, whatever." The Dark Angel quickly entered the room beyond the door and closed said door after him. He would never understand paintings, and specially Hogwarts paintings. 'Crazy nuts the whole lot of them,' he thought and started to look around for the letter Harry had wanted. A piece of parchment on the table caught his attention, and, being the curious creature he was, he walked over to it and picked it up. After a short debate whether to read the thing or not, he unrolled it figuring it couldn't hurt to know what Potter was up to.  
  
'My dearest Mayon,  
  
I want to introduce you to a dear friend of mine. I think you already know said friend. Just say: Detego Anima  
  
Come now, you know you want to.  
  
Harry'  
  
Mayon hesitated. Harry was known for his manipulation. Who knew what might come of this?  
  
After a while his curiosity won over his more sensible side, and he sent a quick prayer to the King before saying the spell. "Detego Anima!"  
  
He waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
And nothing happened.  
  
In the end Mayon let go of the breath he had been holding. Heaven help him, he had let a mortal prank him. If Gabriel got wind of this he would never let the Dark Angel forget it. Harry really knew how to keep you on your toes.  
  
He looked back to the parchment in his hands, glaring and ready to throw it into the fire. What surprised him was that the writing had changed.  
  
'Turn around and enjoy.  
  
Harry'  
  
The Dark Angel took a deep breath and steeled his nerves before turning slowly. His mouth dropped open and his eyes widened.  
  
"He can't be doing this to me." He whispered to himself.  
  
There before him stood none other than the most annoying brat in the universe: Bianca. And she was eying him in a way that made him feel uncomfortable.  
  
'I'm going to kill you Harry.'  
  
-------------------------  
  
I know, it's short again - but at least it's an update.  
  
Now, I'm going away for three weeks this month and won't be able to update anything during that time, so don't expect an update for almost a month.  
  
----  
  
LATIN  
  
Detego: to expose  
  
Anima: life, soul  
  
----  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, fairymagi689, Arizosa, WolfMoon, Fin-Phoenix, Annelise, Lady FoxFire, CatatonicReaction, athenakitty, lollypozz, epholge, Brion, Rachel A. Prongs, chaser, Makina Kitsune, Korinna Myorin, SSSRoaB, life, phoenixrising, Hexmaster, TheUnknown, Arianne, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Zaeria, water drifter, Midnight-Kisses, dragonhope, JerseyGirl03, sil, Sophie W., neha, aurora*sky, Witchmaster, Amber Evans Potter, Ashley, coconut-ice agent h/h, Corrie, godric, SilentPhoenix, daemonwolf, Herald- Mage Brianna and Anir.  
  
----  
  
Also since I'm going to be away for three weeks I'm going to be nice and give you a taste of what the first chapter of Saga 4 is going to be like. Call it a teaser.  
  
---------------------  
  
The future, year 8002  
  
* * * *  
  
"Headmaster, please listen to us!" a distraught female voice exclaimed. "We cannot defeat this enemy on our own, none of our people have the proper training. We need help!"  
  
"I agree," a deep male voice replied. "Many battle skills and spells have been lost since the great Red Lightning wars."  
  
"Indeed." An old voice replied. "You are both right of course. Now, the next question is how to get help."  
  
"I don't know. Compared to the wizards and witches of old we're nothing more than squibs. How I wish that the battle skills hadn't been lost through the ages of peace."  
  
The Headmaster looked at the two young people in front of him.  
  
The male was a tall man with onyx eyes and pitch black hair, he had a rather hooked nose and held himself with great pride that had been built up in his family since the times of the wars. He was said to be the true descendant of the most famous Potion Master and Spy of all ages, Severus Snape. His name was Venatio Snape.  
  
The woman was of average height. She had brown hair and eyes. She could trace her family all the way back to the great Red Lightning wars as well, to a certain Cynthia Thatcher who had been a great Slayer of Vampires. Her name was Igris Thatcher. All three of them were trying to come up with a plan of getting help.  
  
A few months ago a Dark Lord had appeared, the likes of which hadn't been seen since Voldemort's time. At first they had thought this was another one trying to draw attention to himself and that he was no real threat, and that's where they went wrong. Now they were on the brink of being conquered by this monster. Oh, they had offered resistance, but had only been a slight annoyance to the Dark Lord. The man was more powerful and versed in Dark Arts than anyone.  
  
Over the ages since the Dark Lord Voldemort had been defeated, wizards and witches had forgotten the old art of duelling. They had forgotten battle spells and skills and consequently had grown rather weak. It was the long time of peace brought to them when Harry Potter had finally managed to defeat Voldemort by drawing on all the raw power he could. The strong pull had caused the Magical Core - where all magic came from - to be drawn into Potter's body, and the young man had become its host. He became the Magical Core.  
  
After the battle Potter had disappeared along with the Red Dragons Order. And slowly Vampires and other magical creatures had disappeared as well. In the end Hogwarts herself had disappeared. One day the school had just been gone, and no one had been able to find it since then. The Wizarding World had been lulled into sleep. They had built another school, the Academy for Witches and Wizards, and let it be with that. The things taught at this school weren't even half of what had been taught at Hogwarts. There were old books and student-written essays that proved to them that the first- years of Hogwarts knew more than the fifth-years of the Academy.  
  
As said the Wizarding World was lulled into sleep and had forgotten most spells, potions, history and abilities since then. And now they were paying their toll. They didn't know how to defend themselves.  
  
The Headmaster sighed. He of all people should be able to figure out something. He had to think! Think!  
  
The silence in the room stretched until suddenly the Headmaster jumped up grinning happily.  
  
"My dears," he said to the two young people opposite him. "I believe I have an idea!"  
  
"Lets hear it then," Venatio said.  
  
"There is something that not many people know about. It has been passed from Headmaster to Headmaster in this school, only to be used in case there was grave danger." He sat back down still smiling. "There's a prophecy saying that the hero's of old can be summoned from beyond the grave, but this can only happen in the halls of Hogwarts herself."  
  
"So it's a dead end?" Igris asked.  
  
"Not at all. All the clues are there, and all we have to do it decipher them."  
  
"Lets hear it then, old man." Venatio looked sceptic.  
  
"The hero's of old  
  
Called back from the grave  
  
Many things to teach and be told  
  
The world they once again will save  
  
The Potion Master and Spy  
  
The Transfigurer and Animagis  
  
Canines, Elves and Vampires  
  
And lets not forget the dragon  
  
The red-haired family  
  
The researcher herself  
  
And countless more  
  
And the Gamemaster, Lord of all  
  
You can find them in the halls of old  
  
Hogwarts awaits you on Pendragon's island  
  
In the Great Hall they sit made of white sand  
  
Sit at the tables four and let your troubles be told  
  
It won't matter if you're Witch or Wizard, yellow or blue  
  
They will help you if your troubles are true  
  
Let them teach you all they know about earth and sky  
  
And the Red Dragons will once again fly."  
  
"That's all nice and well, Headmaster." Igris said. "But where is Hogwarts? As all of us know the school disappeared not long after the Red Lightning war."  
  
"It's all in there, Thatcher, pay attention." Venatio turned to the Headmaster. "Pendragon's island is the key. Once we find out what that is we'll be able to locate Hogwarts school herself. Imagine all the texts and books of old that must be preserved in its library."  
  
"As usual you're right. I seem to remember to have read something about someone called Pendragon. Perhaps there's a connection." He quickly found his wand and flickered it. "Accio book!" a second later an old tome came flying into his waiting hands. "I was right. You have both heard of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table I presume? Well, it says here that before Arthur became king, his name was Pendragon."  
  
"That means that the island the prophesy or whatever it is, was talking about the Island of Avalon!"  
  
"Indeed, but no one's been able to find that island either." Venatio pointed out.  
  
"That's where you're wrong." Igris smirked. "My ancestor, Cynthia Thatcher, found the island and the secret of where it lies has been passed down from mother to child since then, just like this poem's been passed down with the Headmasters of this school."  
  
"That's settled then; tomorrow the three of us will leave for Avalon and see if there isn't something true in this poem." The Headmaster grinned. Perhaps he would meet his own ancestor, Draco Malfoy.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"And you're sure this is the right way?" Venatio asked for the tenth time.  
  
"Yes I am," Igris growled. "I had to memorise the way to the island just like the others in my family."  
  
"Information changes." Venatio helped the older Headmaster up. "And why the hell did we have to climb around in the Scottish countryside?"  
  
"Because it's the only way I know off, now stop snivelling and come on." Igris led them towards the west.  
  
"I have to agree with Venatio on this one." The Headmaster said. "Where, exactly, did your ancestor find Avalon?"  
  
"It's not far. We're going to the island of Oronsay."  
  
"And that's where we'll find Hogwarts and whatnot?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"You're crazy, but I'd do anything to end this war." Venatio stepped up to her and looked out over the sea that had appeared before them. "Too bad we have lost the ability to apparate. It would have made this so much easier." He mumbled as he took out his wand and started waving it about. A second later three brooms appeared out of nowhere and they got on. "Well, lets get going then."  
  
They rose into the air and started flying. Not many minutes later an island appeared in front of them. It was surrounded by thick fog and almost nothing could be seen of the landscape. As they flew over the island they scouted for something that might point them to where Hogwarts was located.  
  
"There!" Venatio pointed straight ahead.  
  
The thick forest underneath them was suddenly breached by several towers. On the highest of them two flags were waving in the wind. One had the Hogwarts coat of arms and on the other there was a picture of a red dragon on white background.  
  
As they got closer they could see more and more of Hogwarts. By now the castle was covered in vines and dead leafs and whatnots, but they could still see and feel the previous splendour of the castle. The magic in the air around them crackled, gently caressing their faces and hands as if welcoming them home. And it did feel like home, more than the Academy had ever been.  
  
The three travellers landed lightly in the deserted courtyard. None of them spoke, there was a certain calm silence about this place that they didn't want to break. The Headmaster led them up to the great oak doors, and just as he was about to push them open the doors opened on their own accord and let them pass.  
  
"Merlin's beard!" Igris whispered.  
  
They had just entered the Entrance Hall. Several staircases led up or down, and numerous corridors went off in almost every direction imaginable. The ceiling was incredibly high and everything was just... magical!  
  
The doors straight opposite the main doors, opened and they could see straight into what had once been the Great Hall. Slowly the three of them entered and looked around. On the walls old tapestries hung proudly showing off the animal of each House. There was Ravenclaws eagle, Hufflepuffs badger, Slytherins snake and the proud lion of Gryffindor.  
  
Four long tables ran through the entire length of the hall. As they followed them with their eyes wondering on how many students had sat at them, they saw the teachers table and gaped. 27 statues of the purest white marble sat at the table. They couldn't exactly make out who was who, but as they came closer they could see in what detail the statues had been made.  
  
The Headmaster started at the left along with Igris, while Venatio started on the right side.  
  
The woman looked closely at the two first statues and gasped. "It's Remus Lupin and Sirius Black!" she whispered.  
  
"Then this must be the notorious Weasley family." The Headmaster said and mentioned to the next nine relatively alike statues. "Yes it is, here are the twins!"  
  
"From this side I have what can only be Mayon the Dark Angel and his mate Bianca." Venatio called from the other side. "Next come a couple of... Elves! True Elves! And a Dwarf! Great Merlin!" he looked closely at the old witch sitting beside the Dwarf. "This has got to be Minerva McGonagall." He went on to the next and stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
The next statue was of a tall man with shoulder-long hair. He had a hooked nose and his pupil-less eyes looked like they were glaring at something.  
  
"It can't be." Igris had come up to him.  
  
"Severus Snape." Venatio whispered in awe. "What I wouldn't give to be taught by a great Potion Master like himself." He moved on. "Nicholas Wolf, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, the Vampires Raven, Zev, Ramsis and Athan."  
  
"The First Vampire!" Igris exclaimed. "Merlin's beard!"  
  
While the two of them had been working their way towards the middle, the Headmaster had been looking at a figure that sat just after Ginny Weasley. The man had short hair, a pointed face and if the eyes had been open the Headmaster could've sword they would be grey. This was his ancestor Draco Malfoy. He had lifted his hand to touch the statue when the person on the right caught his attention.  
  
"Harry Potter, the Lord of Light." Venatio whispered. And indeed it was. They could see the infamous lightning-bolt-shaped scar, and the other scars the man had acquired during his battles against the Dark. It couldn't be anyone else.  
  
"My god!"  
  
"The poem said to tell them our troubles, so get on with it." Venatio went back down the line and stared at Severus Snape.  
  
The Headmaster sighed and started his tale. It was as if the statues were really listening. The silence was deafening. "We ask four your help." He said at the end. All three of them waited.... And waited.... And waited, but nothing happened.  
  
"I knew it was a dud." Igris muttered. No sooner were the words out of her mouth before she screamed.  
  
------------  
  
Ain't I nice? Now you can be nice and review! 


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: I'm sorry this took such a long time, but my computer went crazy and deleted the file where all my stories were, original and fanfics. So I've used the last couple of days to try and gather what I can from friends and from the internet.  
  
Authors Note2: Thanks to my wonderful betas Tabitha and Lexi-formerly Katy999.  
  
Authors Note3: Un-betaed version. The correct one will be up as soon as my betas finish.  
  
-Chapter Twenty-  
  
It was late at night, and everyone was sleeping. Well, almost everyone.  
  
A lone shadow made its way quickly and quietly through the corridors of the ancient school, avoiding to step into the light of the moon that came through the windows. It passed Mrs Norris in the Entrance Hall without the cat noticing. Nor did the cat notice the opening and closing of the main doors.  
  
Harry let go of his breath once outside, and leaned against the wooden doors.  
  
'What are you complaining about?' the voice asked him. 'You got out didn't you? And that bloody cat didn't notice you at all.'  
  
'I'm not complaining, just taking a grateful breath of fresh air.'  
  
'Sure you did.'  
  
'Whatever. Now, what's up with Mayon and Bianca?'  
  
The voice chuckled. 'You really don't want to know. I'm telling you right now, though, keep out of Mayon's way once he and Bianca come out of that room. He swore on revenge.'  
  
It was Harry's time to chuckle. He looked around and as a cloud hid the moon, he ran over the grassy part that separated the old castle from the Forbidden Forest. Thanking the gods for the Leyrie-blood running through his veins, he took off his glasses and put them in a pocket. It was too dangers to go around with glasses in the Forbidden Forest, especially if you didn't need them in the first place.  
  
'Allow me to ask, O great one,' the voice spoke up again. 'But what in heavens name are we doing in the Forbidden Forest, in the middle of the night no less?'  
  
'Remember last year when Hagrid told us about the Royal Eagles? And after that he told us about that Ammon Nuru thing? Well, I thought I'd finally go and check it out.'  
  
'You are crazy! Intentionally seeking the Ammon Nuru is like... like signing your own death warrant! No one has done that before, it's always been the Nuru seeking them out! You are sooooooo dead young man!'  
  
'If you're afraid, you could always leave and come back later.' Harry suggested while taking off the dark cloak, and hanging it on a branch.  
  
'Hell no, boy, that'd only get you killed. No, you really need me here for this one. Stupid, idiotic, nutheaded...' the voice kept on mumbling.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and closed his eyes. He let his magic flow out of him, and soon picked up on a powerful presence. The magical level of the creature was incredible. Harry let his own magical threads gently run along the outer part of the blindingly white aura, trying to get a feel of this creatures personality. Gods, it was so powerful!  
  
'You didn't expect the Ammon Nuru to be some weak Flobberworm, did you?' asked the voice.  
  
'No, but-' Harry cut off as he felt the creature pick up on his magic. He called the threads back to him before the Ammon Nuru could get a hold of them and follow them back to where he was standing. 'I think this needs a bit more planning.' He said shakily as he put his cloak on.  
  
'Good idea,' the voice replied. 'But now you have made it aware of the fact that someone knows it's there. Heaven help us if the Nuru starts any kind of trouble. You know, not many people have come out of a meeting with the Nuru alive, and those who did had their tongues cut out so they couldn't speak about it.'  
  
'That's encouraging.' Harry replied as he made his way back towards the castle. He stopped at the edge of the Forbidden Forest and watched with interest as a great Grim-like dog made its way towards the front door, quickly followed by a man in dark robes. 'Now why would Sirius and Remus be here at this time of the night.'  
  
'Sometimes I really wonder how you can be so smart and yet so stupid. There's obviously going to be a new RAV meeting tonight.' There was a short silence. 'You wanna spy?'  
  
'I thought you'd never ask,' came the answer and Harry grinned.  
  
He made his way towards the wall of the castle that was closest to him. The Gryffindor leaned against it and closed his eyes in concentration. He used his Earth Element and asked the castle a silent question. It replied and, smiling, Harry melted into the wall. He became a part of the castle wall. If you looked close enough you could spot a face in the rough rock, but else it was completely impossible to see him.  
  
~Take me to the meeting.~ Harry asked the castle, and it complied. He had glimpses of corridors and rooms, before he finally settled in the RAV's meeting room. ~Thank you,~ he said and a gentle presence in his mind told him that the castle accepted the thanks.  
  
A second later the great doors opened allowing the RAV-members access. First came Dumbledore. He was followed by Snape who was talking to Cian, McGonagall, Sirius, Remus, Arabella and others whom Harry didn't know.  
  
Dumbledore sat down. "Now my friends, do we have any news on Rex Chase?"  
  
"No, I'm afraid not," replied McGonagall. "Why do you ask, isn't it better for him to be far away from us and our organisation?"  
  
"My dear, if there's a bee in the room I'd like to know exactly where it is before it stings me. And Rex Chase is one smart bee."  
  
Cian chuckled. "You could say that, Albus. But even if you were in the same room, you'd never know exactly where he was."  
  
"It's better than nothing," Albus's eyes twinkled madly. "Since we have nothing on Rex Chase, how about we got o the next business? I want Harry to join us."  
  
There was a short silence before most of the members jumped up.  
  
"No, absolutely not!" Sirius yelled across the room.  
  
"He's too young, no matter if he has survived the Dark Lord numerous times." Said Mundungus Fletcher.  
  
"I zink 'e would make a good addition to ze RAV." Fleur Delacour defended him. "Even if 'e iz a bit young."  
  
"Potter? Absolutely preposterous!" Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye was rolling like mad around in its socket.  
  
"Albus! You can't be serious about going through with this!" exclaimed McGonagall.  
  
"Not my godson!"  
  
"Sirius calm down."  
  
"I don't know, Potter certainly has matured during the last tow years. Perhaps it would work."  
  
"No, he is too young!"  
  
"Perhaps it would be wise to ask Harry himself first, before jumping to conclusions?" Cian's calm voice cut through the chatter like a hot knife through butter, and everyone calmed down.  
  
"I do believe you are right," the old Headmaster smiled at the First Vampire. Then he turned to Snape. "And I give you the task of asking him to join us, Severus."  
  
"WHAT?!" both Sirius and Severus exclaimed at the same time.  
  
"You are not letting that... that-" Remus promptly shut the Animagi up with a wave of his wand. Sirius glared at the Werewolf.  
  
"I don't want to listen to your childish grudges, Sirius."  
  
"Headmaster, you really can't be serious. Due to the bad blood between myself and Potter I should be the last one to offer him a place in the Resistance." The Potion Master was glaring hard at the old mage, and several people around the table nodded to his statement.  
  
"I'm afraid that there is no other way, Severus. And besides, you and Harry really need to get past that and work together. Especially if he'd going to join us."  
  
"But why me?! Minerva here is a more logical choice as his Head of House!"  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Indeed she is, Severus. But you and Harry have a - how shall I say this? - a certain bond between yourselves."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Let me explain. Both of you have defied the Dark Lord several times and lived to tell the tale. You are also the only ones amongst us who have seen what Voldemort really is capable of. I'm afraid that this matter is not up for discussion, Severus."  
  
The Slytherin Head of House just gaped at the old mage for a few minutes, then closed his mouth and sat down again. It was clear as crystal that he really didn't want to do the task he was given, but once Dumbledore made up his mind about something there was no way to get out of it.  
  
"Alright, Albus, I'll do it." Severus really wanted to murder the grinning old fool right now.  
  
Once everyone's attention was on some other issue, Cian leaned over to the Potion Master and whispered: "Don't worry, Severus. I'll help you with the entire thing. I know how... hard it can be to make Mr Potter listen."  
  
"I'll take you up on that offer." Came the reply.  
  
Harry chuckled and let the castle lead him to the Gryffindor Common Room. There he stepped out from the wall and smiled. The next couple of days really were going to be fun, and he couldn't wait to see what Mayon would have to say to him once he got out of that room with Bianca.  
  
Life really was worth living.  
  
-------------------------  
  
"Quis?"  
  
(Hmm?)  
  
"How old are you?" asked Hermione. She had once again come to visit the rapidly-healing demon, and this time she had brought her homework. Quis was sitting further away and was tracing intricate patterns in the air with his elegant hands.  
  
(Don't really know,) the demon replied. (We don't count years as you humans do.)  
  
"But if you had to guess?" she pressed.  
  
(Around your age. Why do you ask?) the yellow eyes focused on her.  
  
"I wanted to know when your birthday was."  
  
(Why?)  
  
"So that I could give you a present."  
  
(Present?)  
  
"Yes," Hermione got ready to go into one of her lecturing modes. "When humans have a birthday we give each other presents and celebrate the day."  
  
(Why do you do that?)  
  
"It's always been like that. Celebrating the fact that we are one year closer to adulthood. It's a bit like Christmas and New Year."  
  
He looked at her for a while before shaking his head. (You humans are weird.)  
  
"Hey!" Hermione threw a book at him but he caught it without trouble and started reading. "Quis! Give me the book back, I need it for my Potions homework!"  
  
When he didn't comply she stood up and stalked over to him. The demon didn't even look up when she arrived and her tries to pull the book out of his hands was completely fruitless. Damn, demons were strong.  
  
In the end she gave up and swore that Quis smirked. (Tell you what,) the demon said. (I'll give you your book back if you tell me what's been bothering you.)  
  
"That's worthy of a Slytherin!"  
  
(Well, I am a demon you know. So, what's it going to be?)  
  
Hermione glared at him but gave up. She had found out that Quis could wait an eternity for something. He seemed to have a never ending supply of patience, stubbornness and sarcasm. Kinda reminded her of the Potion Master.  
  
"Alright, I'll tell you," she said after a while.  
  
(Well? What are you so afraid of?)  
  
The Gryffindor Prefect opened her mouth to reply, and screamed.  
  
-------------------------  
  
There, finished. So, what do you think? Please review.  
  
And don't worry people. EVERYTHING WILL BE EXPLAINED IN THE SAGA 4, OR AT THE END OF THIS STORY!!!!!!!!!  
  
One more thing is that school starts in a couple of days. The first couple of weeks are going to be hell until I settle into the routine, so don't expect frequent updates.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
SSSRoaB, Hannah Abby, No Account!, WolfMoon, RainWaters, Lady Phoenix Gryffindor, Anora, CatatonicReaction, Zaeria, gaul1, ettedanreb, Corrie, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Confuzzler, Lady Rowena, KC, Lady FoxFire, CelticKnight, Fin-Phoenix, potter-man1, Xirleb70, Rachel A. Prongs, The Unknown4, Makina Kitsune, Arianne, Kenny, Maxennce, athenakitty, neha, BlackDiva, water drifter, Mack, TwilightDusk, Lukaret, ItsAMystery, myrhfire, Arizosa, Jess16, azerty, Annelise1, chaser1, Potter-Freak123, JerseyGirl03, Witchmaster, aurora*sky, Dragonhope, Dragon Tamer47, godric1, Annabelle, Joanna, Neo-seeker, Draconias, ShadowHunter1, THE-PENGUIN2, loverwren, IMPORTANT and Orome1 for reviewing. 


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.

Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews, and hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Authors Note2: This is the un-betaed version, the correct will be up as soon as my betas finish. 

-Chapter Twenty-One-  

.

Harry nearly grinned as Snape ordered him to stay after class that Friday. He had been looking forward to this all week, awaiting the time the Potion Master would calm enough to ask him to join the RAV. 

"Yes sit?" he asked as he stepped up in front of the Professors desk. 

The Head of Slytherin rubbed his eyes; it was clearer than Veritaserum that Potter already knew what he was going to ask him about. The innocent tone and the wild twinkle in the boy's green eyes told him so. And he had a feeling the brat wasn't going to make it easier on him. 

"Potter-" he began but was cut off as there came a knock on the door. "Come in Theron!" he yelled, using the First Vampires fake name even if he had a feeling Potter knew the real one. 

Cian entered and closed the door after himself. "Ah, good I wasn't late." He smiled. 

"Excuse me sirs, but what is going on here?" Harry asked and could feel the highly amused look Cian sent him and also the highly annoyed one Snape bestowed upon him. both of them knew that he knew what they were going to ask him about. 

"Potter, you know what's going on, don't play dumb." Snape snapped. "Dumbledore's the head of a secret organisation, the Resistance Against Voldemort, and he wants you to join."

"I see you're doing fine here without my help, Severus." Cian said, eyes twinkling. 

The irate Potion Master glared at the vampire, who grinned cheekily.

_'I think it's best if you join,'_ the voice spoke up. _'If not it could cause suspicion. Rex Chase declined, and now you – that is if you do, which you're not going to do because I say so.'_

_'How old are you really?'_

_'Very old, why?'_

_'You sound like a five-year-old right there.'_ Harry deadpanned while pretending to think over the proposition. He really had no choice but to join. 

"Well?" Snape asked after a couple of minutes. "What's your decision?"

"I'll join." Harry replied faking eagerness. "I want to see Voldemort burning in hell for everything he has done to me!" 

_'Don't overdo it, Harry.'_ Cian's voice penetrated his head. 

_'Shut up.'_ Harry replied. 

Snape looked carefully at them both. "That would be all Potter, get lost. And Theron, I have something to talk to you about. My office is that way." He pointed to the door to his right and Cian entered. The Head of Slytherin glared at Harry before following. 

_'Someone's grumpy.'_ Harry commented as he left the classroom. 

'Not only he, Mayon's free in the castle as well. He and Bianca sorted their troubles and now are on a manhunt for you. The only good thing from this is that we finally know what's been bothering Hermione.'

_'Yeah, but it came with a high price.'_ Harry sighed.

~*~*~*~ FLASHBACK ~*~*~*~

Hermione screamed. 

Harry jumped up and turned, a curse ready to send the attacker to the deepest regions of hell. But when he saw what had scared the Prefect he relaxed and sat down again.

Three wolves, two grown-ups and a cub, had appeared on the other side of the stream. The stopped and looked at them a bit, before coming down to drink from the water. The Gryffindor girl retreated until she was nearly hiding behind the demon. 

(Calm down, they won't hurt you.) Harry told her. 

"That's easy for you to say." Mumbled the girl.

Harry looked closely at her. She was shaking, her voice was wavering, her skin was pale as a vampires. And her eyes were fixed on the wolves, watching every move the animals made. The Pretender looked between his friend and the wolves a couple of times, before the puzzle fell into place. 

(Wolves!!! You're afraid of wolves, or better said Werewolves!) he jumped up scaring the animals away. (A friend of yours, Remus Lupin, is a Werewolf, as is a Gryffindor first year!)

"H-how do you know about that?"

(I've been feeding off Remus' fears for years, and the first-years ever since I crashed. But what's to be afraid of?) he asked. 

"I……… I was out once at the end of last year at the full moon. I was gathering some Moondust flowers for Professor Sprout when a Werewolf attacked. Luckily, or unluckily, a giant Acromantula did the same at the same time. The two beasts collided and I ran off. I collapsed on the Hogwarts ground and when I opened my eyes I saw Remus Lupin standing over me." Hermione looked down. 

(You can't let that ruin your friendship with the man,) Harry said, putting a hand on the girls shoulder. (He's like that only once a month, and is given the Wolfsbane Potion. He won't hurt you – the same with the first year. Right now you're being extremely stupid.) 

Hermione sobbed and leaned on him, her head settle on the demon's strong shoulder. The skin felt like silk under her fingers and she hugged the boy as close as possible. She let the tears take free reign of her, and cried on his shoulder. She knew he was right, but she was just so scared!

Harry was surprised when Hermione did that, but put his arms around her. (Let it all out, go back to the school and tell Harry and Ron everything. They'll help you get through this. You can tell it to Lupin and Amaris, and let them help you with it as well.) 

The Gryffindor girl looked up at the demon, leaned up, puckered her lips and made to kiss him; but Quis stepped out of her reach at once, looking at her as though she was mad. She advanced but he didn't retreat. Instead his eyes narrowed and a black see-through fire appeared around his fists. 

(What do you think you're doing?) came the hiss. 

"Please, Quis, I didn't mean to-"

(You don't know what would've happened if I'd let you go through with that!) he shouted then calmed. (I think it's time I departed.) He flexed his wings and rose into the air. 

"Quis, no! Wait, please don't go! I love you!"

(No you don't,) came the sad answer. (You are meant for someone else, but we'll meet again in the future. Don't forget to call me if you ever need help.) With that he exploded into thousands of little lights that disappeared in thin air, leaving a heartbroken Hermione Granger behind, with tears marring her features.  

~*~*~*~ END FLASHBACK ~*~*~*~

_'That's Quis out of the picture.'_ The voice said. 

_'And Hermione's heartbroken.'_ Harry shook his head as he stepped up in the Entrance Hall. He looked up and saw a slightly down Hermoine slowly approach Accalia Amaris, and offer her help to the girl with her Transfiguration homework. _'She'll get over it soon enough.'_ He thought to himself. 

_'Indeed she will. She's a lioness.'_ The voice replied proudly. 

-------------------------

That night Harry ventured out into the Forbidden Forest once again. This time, when the Ammon Nuru picked up on him, he didn't retreat but followed the powerful pull towards its source. He stepped through some trees and was at once nearly knocked over by a golden blur of light. 

"HARRY!!!!!!! YOU'RE HERE!!!!!!!"

"Giri?!" Harry laughed as the tiny snitch-like bird settled into his hands. "So this is where you've been hiding!"

The bird looked sheepish. "I meant to come and tell you that I would be spending time here, but every time something distracted me. I'm sorry."

"No need, I'm just happy that you're alright." Harry stroked the golden feathers and looked up. He could barely keep his mouth from dropping open.

The Amon Nuru stood in front of him. It was a tiger on the size of a horse, no stripes marred the pure white fur. Huge, white, shining winds stretched from its shoulder blades all the way back to its back legs. The claws and fangs of the creature were made out of diamond, sharper than anything else in the world, and able to cut through stone and bit though bone. The pupil-less silvery eyes glowed in the dark, making the whole creature look like a ghost-like terror. 

"Come forth, young wizard." The Nuru spoke with an old, deep voice. Harry obediently stepped forward. The majestic creature stared into his eyes. "Yes, it is you." It smiled.

"E- erm – excuse me, b-but what are you t-talking about?" Harry's legs were shaking in his boots. He was sure that even Voldemort and Dumbledore would be hard pressed to keep looking at the Nuru. 

"Nothing at all, just the musings of an old mind." The silvery eyes shined. "You have some questions, cub. I will answer some of them, but choose wisely." 

"So as he says Harry." The boy in question looked up at the second voice and grinned. "So we meet again."

"Firenze!" the green-eyed young man exclaimed happily. It was only then that he noticed that the Nuru was surrounded by all kind of creatures. Rabbits, owls, fwoopers, centaurs, wolves, you name it. All of them were rubbing up against the giant tiger like kittens. 

"Indeed it is me," the blond centaur smiled. "The questions, Harry." He reminded gently. 

"Oh, yes." Harry turned back to the tiger, steeled his nerves and looked the ancient creature straight into the eyes. "Where is the Sword of Excalibur?" 

The Nuru seemed amused. "On the island of Avalon, and the only way to get there is with a Royal Eagle. Once there you have to draw the sword from its scabbard and the enchantment on the place will be lifted. After that everyone will be able to fin their way to the island, but few will know its name." 

"What is the sword used for?" Harry was sweating. He wanted to look away, but the Nuru was holding him captivated with its gaze. 

"It is magic. It is neither good nor evil, but it can be used for both purposes. That depends on the bearer." Came the answer. 

"How do I get in contact with a Royal Eagle?" he was starting to shake. He could feel the Nuru running on the paths of his mind, prodding, searching. It hurt. 

"You wont need to. The Eagles fly over the castle every night. They have been waiting for this for quite some time." The eyes shone even brighter.

Harry was forced to his knees. "Wh……… why is Vol……… Voldemort after me?" he managed to hiss. 

The silvery eyes exploded in a shower of sparks. "That I cannot tell you."

Then there was blackness. 

-------------------------

"Now here are our problems." The silent Death Eaters watched as their Lord and Master paced to and fro in front of them. "One: We've got to capture Rex Chase. Two: We've got to capture Harry Potter; and three: we're going to attack the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix." Voldemort smirked as his men cheered. "Indeed my minions. I think it's a fitting way of letting the public know that I have returned………. That is, if that blubbering fool Fudge doesn't mess it up and blame it on some Muggle terrorist act." 

"My Lord," Lucius Malfoy dared to speak up. "When are these things going to happen?" 

"Soon, Malfoy, soon. I give you the task of organising the search for Chase; take Nott and his group with you. Avery, you are going to lead the attack at the Phoenix Headquarters. Take most of the death Eaters with you, understand?"

"Yes, My Lord." Avery bowed and left the same way Malfoy had, quickly followed by most of the Death Eaters in the room. 

"And Rookwood." Voldemort smirked again. "My most devious follower. I'm going to need your help in figuring out how to get Potter out of that infernal school, and what the hell happened with our spy." 

"Yes sire." The tall, thin man bowed deeply before disappearing as well. 

#Well my dear,# Voldemort hissed to Nagini. #Everything appears to go swimmingly, to use Dumbledores words.# 

#And what if the brat escapes again, Master. What then?#

#He won't have the chance to do so this time, I'll make sure of that. Last time I made a fatal error, I talked too much and gave him time; but I learn from my mistakes, something that cannot be said for him. No, he won't escape this time.# 

#If you're sure, Master. I would ssssoo like to taste his flesh.#

#And that you will.# The Dark Lord looked into the fire, his red eyes shining. #That you will.#

-------------------------

That's that. So, what do you think?

I am also sad to say that there won't be many more chapters in this fic. The end's nearing folks, but then there's the Saga 4 to look forward to.

Thanks to:

Naia, Shadowed Chaos, JerseyGirl03, Anora, Mack, BratPrincess-187, my pen name, godri1, WolfMoon, leaps, Fin-Phoenix, Dragon Tamer 47, Arizosa, Water Fire Girl, Rachel A. Prongs, gaul1, Hitokiri Battousai, SSSRoaB, phoenixrising1, water drifter, chaser1, Lily-Rose3, Miranda Flairgold, Fox890, Witchmaster, ficfan, Makina Kitsune, Jason Potter, neha, Catatonic, Abby, Zrevyx Sharee, Jeah and Twilight Dusk. 

Check out the story I got from jess0007, Saga Side Story: The Revelation. Isn't it great?!!!   


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy!  
  
-Chapter Twenty-Two-  
  
.  
  
When Harry woke up he found himself looking at the ceiling in Hagrid's cabin. A heavy object on his chest indicated that Fang was resting his head there, and he could hear Hagrid himself over by the fireplace.  
  
"What happened?" he asked and tried to pry Fang off of himself.  
  
Hagrid looked up. "Found ye lyin' by the edge of the Forest two hour's ago. Now, what were ye tryin' ter do in the Forest at this time of the night? Ye didn't go and seek out the Ammon Nuru, now, did ye?"  
  
Harry opened his mouth to tell Hagrid that that was exactly what he'd done, and found himself unable to say anything else but: "No, I didn't. I thought I saw a Death Eater."  
  
"But what were ye thinkin'? Ye couldn' take on one of them; ye should 'ave gone and got a teacher, 'Arry."  
  
"I know that," Harry replied acting shameful. 'Damn that Nuru for cursing me.'  
  
'Well, I for one think it's for the best. What if you really had told Hagrid about him? You know he would've gone out at once to search for it,' the voice replied. 'And I warned you that this might happen, did I not?'  
  
'Yes you did.' The Gryffindor sighed and gladly took the cup of tea the half-giant offered him. 'But I can't say it was a total loss. We got to know about the Royal Eagles and Excalibur.'  
  
'Yes, and nearly got killed in the process, but that's another thing.' The voice muttered sarcastically.  
  
Harry suddenly realised that Hagrid had been talking. "... an' I dunno if I'm goin' ter report ye Harry. But Death Eaters on Hogwarts grounds? Tha'tis bad, really bad. I reckon Dumbledore won' like these news. Of course we 'ave to tell 'im, waddya think? But please 'Arry, please promise me not ter to summat like tha' again." Black, shining eyes stared at him. "Thought I'd lost ye, when I saw ye lyin' there." Hagrid sniffed.  
  
Harry's heart went out to the half-giant and he stood up, walked over to Hagrid and hugged him. Hagrid gladly hugged back and sobbed onto Harry's shoulder.  
  
"Hagrid, I promise you, you won't get rid of me that easily. It takes more than one Death Eater to do me in."  
  
'No, it takes two squadrons of them, and even that's not enough.'  
  
'Shut up for once, this is a very dramatic moment.'  
  
"I... I believe yeh, 'Arry." Hagrid straightened. "Oi, look at what I did ter ye shirt!" he quickly found a handkerchief and started to rub on the wet spot.  
  
"It's alright Hagrid, I'll do it this way." Harry took out his wand and waved it. A second later his shirt was just as it had been before Hagrid got all emotional. "There, that's better. How much is the clock?"  
  
"Five in the mornin'."  
  
"I better head back then; no need for the others to wake up and find my bed empty and worry when I'm totally alright." Harry pulled his cloak around his shoulders and walked to the door.  
  
"Yeah, I'll see ye in class, an' come an' visit me soon." Hagrid sniffed once again.  
  
"Of course I will, and Hagrid," the half-giant looked up. "Thank you." Harry whispered before closing the door after himself. It had been a long time since he'd have to rely on someone like that, and the words felt weird rolling off his tongue. 'Whatever happened to Terry Boot?' he asked the voice.  
  
'He was taken to the Ministry, questioned under Veritaserum and released an hour after he got there.' The voice replied. 'Fudge didn't believe that Voldemort is back, and sent the boy home saying he had had a nasty shock. I don't think Boot's going to return to Hogwarts any time soon.'  
  
'Neither do I. Damn that Cornelius Fudge!'  
  
'My thoughts exactly.'  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry stood on the top of the Astronomy Tower. It was a clear night and the thin, new moon rose behind him and the countless stars twinkled overhead. He was watching the magnificent creature come closer and closer.  
  
The Royal Eagle was huge, with an 18 feet wingspan that said something. The golden feathers shone in a ghostly light in under the pale moon, the beak was pure silver as were the claws. Black, intelligent eyes watched him warily as the Eagle landed on the tower.  
  
//Hello.// Harry said and bowed.  
  
The Eagle bowed back. //Hello to you too, young one. The Ammon Nuru has told me everything and has asked me to take you to Avalon.//  
  
//How will we get there?// the green-eyed young man asked.  
  
//Sit on my back,// the Eagle turned and Harry crawled up on the broad, warm back, careful not to break any feathers. //Hang on!// and with that they were in the air.  
  
Neither of them noticed the group of black-clad people at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Flying with a Royal Eagle was completely different from flying with a broomstick, even with a griffin it had been different. The Eagle's flight was so smooth that Harry nearly fell asleep on its back, luckily the voice kept him awake singing horribly off-key.  
  
By the time they were over flying over London Harry knew that he preferred to be flying with a griffin. At least they talked more. The Eagle was silent as the grave.  
  
//Get ready young one, we're nearing Avalon,// the Eagle said after hours of silent flight.  
  
//Where is it?// Harry asked and looked around. He spotted an island coming up in front of them, looking like a dark cloud in the horizon.  
  
//Straight ahead. You humans would call it Oronsay. It has been disguised by Merlin himself to look like a normal island. And Camelot has been hidden as well.//  
  
//Oh.//  
  
'Intelligent answer Harry.' The voice spoke up.  
  
'Shut up, and may I recommend you take singing lessons?' Harry replied as the Eagle landed on a rock and he slid down. //Which way is Camelot?//  
  
The Royal Eagle pointed with his wing. //That way. Be careful young one.// With a sharp cry the Eagle took flight and was gone.  
  
Harry shook his head and started to walk the way the Eagle had pointed. It didn't take him long to reach his destination. A ruined wall appeared, and beyond it he found several others. There was a certain magical aura to the place, and Harry didn't want to break the peace and anger the spirits that might be resting there.  
  
'Where to?' he asked the voice as he looked around. You'd expect the walls that still stood to be overgrown with moss and climbers, but there was nothing. There was even hardly any grass growing at the base of the walls.  
  
'Search for the sign.' The voice replied.  
  
'The sign?'  
  
'That's what I said; the sign is different from person to person, so I can't help you with that. Don't worry, you'll know it when you see it.'  
  
'I hope you're right.' Harry said and started to look around. A flash out f the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned. A stone in one wall was glowing and in the stone there was a carving of a hand. He went over to it and examined it. The hand looked just like his own did, and he sighed. 'How much more cliché can it get?' he thought as he put his hand into the carving.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
He waited for a while, but still nothing happened.  
  
Harry turned disappointed and was about to head back to the place where the Eagle had dropped him off. However, he didn't get far. Strong arms gripped him, and another pair took his wand from him.  
  
"So, Mr Potter, we meet again." Voldemorts red eyes shone with delight. "And here I was spending my time planning to lure you out of Hogwarts, when you do the job from me. And so far away from people, Potter; you picked the perfect place to die."  
  
Harry remained silent and just glared. He had noticed something happening behind the group of Death Eaters. A dark green light had appeared, it was so dark it nearly went as one with the night. Slowly a magnificent sword appeared in the light and hovered a few feet off the ground. A plan formed in his mind.  
  
"Any last words Potter?" Voldemort asked.  
  
"Lets kill him right now, My Lord," the Death Eater holding him said, grinning.  
  
"For once I am going to go along with your wishes, Rookwood. Hold him still, I'm going to do this the old way." The Dark Lord rolled up his sleeves and drew a knife from his robes. It was the same one they had used on Harry in the Third Task two years ago. "Expose his throat."  
  
Rookwood roughly yanked Harry's head back by his hair. Harry hissed in pain.  
  
'You know, if you want to survive this you really should attack now.' The voice advised nervously.  
  
'One of your better ideas.' Harry replied. Suddenly he went limp and Rookwood had to catch him. He could hear the Death Eater spitting and cursing enough to make a company of sailors blush.  
  
Just as the man was leaning over him to yank his head back again, Harry kicked him straight in the face. Then he used the speed he had gotten from Arana the time she had given him her blood, and ran between the confused Death Eaters.  
  
"After him you idiots! Don't let him get away!" Voldemort yelled.  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
"Avada Kedavra!"  
  
"Petrificus Totalus!"  
  
However, Harry ducked all the curses that came his way, thanking all the gods that had ever existed and would exist for his leyrie blood.  
  
"NO! Don't let him get to the sword, you idiots! That's Excalibur!" Voldemort shouted once he realised what Harry was heading for, and the rain of curses and hexes was doubled. "Accio sword!" the Dark Lords voice boomed over the others, but it was too late.  
  
Harry had put on a last burst of speed, and reached Excalibur seconds before Riddles charm. His hands wrapped around the handle - it was long enough to hold with both hands - and he felt a jolt of power run through him. It nearly knocked him back, but Harry hung on. He drew the sword from its scabbard with a practised grip and held it up in the moonlight.  
  
Excalibur lit up. A green fire surrounded it, lighting up the whole place. Harry could feel the incredible power that ran through him. None of the Death Eaters - not even Voldemort himself - dared to say anything.  
  
'Harry! Snap out of it!' the voice yelled. 'You can drool over the sword afterward, right now use it to defeat the Death Eaters and give Voldemort a beating he won't soon forget.'  
  
Harry smirked and opened his eyes. They were the same colour as the fire that surrounded the sword, and the Death Eaters retreated a few steps. They all knew they were in trouble, and all of them began shaking when Harry raised the sword.  
  
"Say bye, bye boys." The Gryffindor said and brought the sword down. There was a flash of green light and every Death Eater was lying unconscious on the ground. Voldemort himself looked at his defeated followers, then up at Harry and sneered.  
  
"Once again Potter, I seem to have underestimated you," the Dark Lord said. "But mark my words, next time you won't be so lucky." Before Harry could do anything Voldemort raised his wand and yelled: "Avada Kedavra!"  
  
The spell was meant more like a distraction, but Harry ducked nevertheless. You never knew when Voldemort was involved in something.  
  
The Dark Lord himself had chosen this moment to apparate away with a quick pop, leaving Harry alone with ten unconscious Death Eaters, and a glowing sword.  
  
'So, what are you planning to do with Excalibur and these lazy idiots?' the voice asked.  
  
'Excalibur's time has yet to come,' Harry replied and sheathed the sword. 'Until then we need to hide it somewhere safe. The Death Eaters on the other hand...' he grinned.  
  
'Ooooooo, this is going to be fun! I just love it when you grin like that!' the voice exclaimed and Harry laughed.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Harry smiled and exited the bathroom. Excalibur would be safe.  
  
'Explain to me once again why in heavens name you hid the most powerful sword of our times in the Chamber of Secrets?' the voice asked.  
  
'One: because only I and Voldemort can get down there; and two: Hogwarts is the safest place on earth, and the chances of Voldemort reaching Myrtle's bathroom is zero to none.'  
  
'Zero and none is the same thing Harry.'  
  
'Exactly.'  
  
'Ah, smart. And those Death Eaters?'  
  
'I think Snape is having fun right now.' Came the reply and Harry's eyes twinkled as he headed off to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
Down in the dungeons a pissed off Potion Master was woken up when an enormous screeching was heard from his living room. Grumbling and cursing he stood up and walked into the other room. There he found a letter hovering in the air by the bedroom door.  
  
'Dearest Snape,  
  
I hope you and the RAV will enjoy my little... present to you. I even gift- wrapped them. Aren't they cute?  
  
Rex Chase'  
  
Severus looked up and couldn't help but grin. Ten Death Eaters lied unconscious on the floor bound together with one big, red, glittering bow.  
  
'Chase you devil.'  
  
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That's it people. Next chapter will be the last.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
myrhfire, CatatonicReaction, Naia, WolfMoon, insanechildfanfic, Witchmaster, gaul1, Janice, Korinna Myorin, chaser1, BratPrincess-187, Confuzzler, Hitokiri Battousai, Arizosa, neha, Dragon Tamer47, JerseyGirl03, SSSRoaB, A-man, slate07, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, water drifter and bogdan-ag.  
  
A special thanks to zimagesto who dedicated her 'Green Flame Torch' story to me. Check it out, it's pretty cool!  
  
And check out the new story from jess0007, 'Saga Side Story: The Disappearance'. It's a multi-chapter story. Tell her what you think. 


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I own only the obvious, the rest belongs to JK Rowling.  
  
Authors Note: Well, people, this is the last chapter of this story. Enjoy.  
  
-Chapter Twenty-Three-  
  
.  
  
It was the end of the year. The few months that had been left had rushed by in frantic studying, chatting with friends, classes, homework and tests at the end of the year.  
  
Harry happily watched as Hermione bickered with Ron at the Gryffindor table. Cian was chatting with Dumbledore at the Head Table, Snape was looking grateful for the fact that tomorrow the students would be sent home and McGonagall was listening to Flitwick, who was telling her some hilarious tale about a wizard that he knew; and students around the Great Hall were chatting happily together.  
  
All in all it was the picture of what Hogwarts represented. Freedom, learning, friendship, love and protection.  
  
He smiled and headed towards the Gryffindor table and listened to Neville tell Parvati and Lavender about a plant that could cure zits in one-two- three.  
  
'Well, Harry,' the voice spoke up. 'It's times like these that make me emotional.' It sniffed and Harry swore it blew its nose - that is, if it had one in the first place.  
  
'There, there,' Harry comforted the voice, for once not annoyed by it.  
  
"What are you smiling at Harry?" Seamus asked.  
  
"Just remembering everything that has happened up to now. Next year will be our last."  
  
"Yeah, kinda sad. When I first got here seventh year seemed so far away, but now..." Hermione let the sentence drop. "Hogwarts has been my home away from home."  
  
"Mine too," Dean spoke up. "I cannot believe everything we've gotten through, especially with Trouble-Magnet Harry around."  
  
"Careful Dean," Ron said. "He may be a trouble magnet, but he's a damn smart trouble magnet."  
  
"Thank you, thank you, I accept all due praise with heartfelt gratitude." Harry pretended to bow, mimicking Gilderoy Lockhart. The others laughed.  
  
Dumbledore stood up. "Another year is over, and hopefully you have all learned something during it. I'm sad to say that our Defence Teacher, Theron Joyleaf, won't be returning next year; so once again you'll get another new DADA Professor. I really am beginning to think that the position is cursed."  
  
"Albus, please stay on the topic," McGonagall muttered out of the corner of her mouth.  
  
"Yes, yes," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eyes. "To those of you that I won't be seeing next year, here is what I have to say: live in the 'now', because the 'then' is gone and the 'will be' might not; so be careful with your choices." The current seventh years clapped and cheered. "As for the rest of you: have a nice summer, and I'll see you again next year. Thank you." At these words the entire school clapped, even the Slytherins.  
  
The rest of the feast passed by without incident, and everyone were stuffed and content by the time it was time to go to bed.  
  
-------------------------  
  
'Well, Voldemort has finally done it,' the voice said next morning while Harry was checking if he'd packed everything he needed. 'He attacked the Phoenix Headquarters last night.'  
  
'Then why aren't we hearing about it?' the Gryffindor asked as he spotted a book he had forgotten to pack.  
  
'For two reasons. One is that even if everyone know that the Order of the Phoenix exists, the Order isn't official. It isn't in the Ministry files. The second is that no one want to believe that the Dark Idiot is back, besides the Phoenix Agents handed it perfectly well, though your friend Kanchigai didn't make it.'  
  
'Nothing I can do about that, though I'm sad she's gone.' Then Harry smirked. 'In other words: they panicked?'  
  
'No, not really. They actually managed to form a defence.'  
  
'Damn.'  
  
'Yeah, I know, and there's more. They have sent you a letter asking to join them. It should reach you tomorrow or the day after that.'  
  
'Those guys just don't give up, huh?' Harry hauled his trunk into the almost empty common room and let a House-Elf take it to the train. He himself then headed through the corridors of Hogwarts, taking his time.  
  
'No they won't,' the voice sounded sad for some reason. 'I am sad to say that this isn't only the end of the school-year, Harry. It is the end of our partnership.'  
  
'What do you mean?' Harry asked.  
  
'All the powers you have gotten over these two years - Pretender, Profiler, most of the others - were borrowed. You only had them so that you could get used to them for a later date. You weren't meant to have those powers yet; don't ask me why, it's the same thing as with not killing Voldemort yet, and Excalibur. The greatest fight between Light and Dark won't be coming for a long time, and until then you won't need your powers.'  
  
'So what are you going to do?' he had been ready that something like this might happen. Such powers like the ones he had wouldn't pup up over the period of under one year; it took time as Athan had taught him.  
  
'I'm going to block them until it is time for you to really use them. I'm sad about this, don't think I'm not. Another thing is that I won't be contacting you again until it is time for you to get your rightful powers back sometimes in the far future. I've taught you most of the things you'll need in the future battles against the Dark. And those things I haven't taught you, you can only learn on your own. I will miss you, you know.'  
  
'I will miss you too even if you are an annoying idiot.' Harry concentrated on keeping his emotionless mask on.  
  
'Brat.' Came the reply, then there was a long silence. 'We'll meet again, Harry, never doubt that.'  
  
An emptiness appeared in his head. The voice was totally gone and wouldn't be coming back. Harry tried to transform into Rex Chase just to see if the voice had kept its promise, but he could hardly recall the image of Rex. He supposed it as a side effect of the Blocking of his Powers. He sighed sadly and hurried into the horseless carriage that Ron and Hermione had managed to get a hold of.  
  
-------------------------  
  
The train ride to Kings Cross had been boring. Hermione had buried herself in some huge book, Ron had been playing chess with Ginny and Harry had been gloomily staring out of the window. On the station Mrs Weasley had hugged him and Hermione, and told them to be careful. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had been waiting for him in the Muggle part of the station. They had snapped at him to get a move-on, and Harry had barely had time to wave a quick goodbye to the Grangers and the Weasleys before he had been pushed into the car. Dudley had been out when they had gotten to Privet Drive, and Harry had been able to take his things to his room without trouble.  
  
He was currently sitting on his bed looking through the book he had gotten from Ron for his 15th birthday; it was the same book where he had found out about Pretenders and Profilers. It was night outside and the Dursleys had retired some time ago.  
  
KNOCK - KNOCK - KNOCK  
  
His head snapped up at the sound, and he could see several dark shapes flying outside his window.  
  
'Harry Potter, will you open this bloody window?!' Athan's voice flooded his mind.  
  
Harry shook his head, stood up and let the vampires in; first came Cian, Athan followed along with Ramsis and Zev. Harry was half waiting to see Pyralis come as well, before he remembered that the female vampire was dead.  
  
"What are you guys doing here?" he asked. "I thought you had gotten enough of me, Cian."  
  
The First Vampire chuckled. "No one, except perhaps the Dark Lord, can get annoyed by you, Harry."  
  
"Besides," Athan continued. "I wanted to thank you personally for making my life so fun for the last year." The tall man bowed to Harry, and this time there was no overdoing just simple respect. Harry bowed back.  
  
"I wanted to thank you for Healing me after..." the half-vampire stopped.  
  
"No need Ramsis," Harry replied. "It was my pleasure."  
  
The Egyptian man smiled sadly and shook his head. He herded Athan out the window and they could hear the other vampire protesting for a while.  
  
Zev stepped forwards. "You are quite the young man, Mr Potter," was all he said before leaving, and Harry knew that he couldn't ask for more from this vampire.  
  
Now it was only Harry and Cian left.  
  
"Well, Cian, I guess this is the end of our partnership. At least for a while." Harry said.  
  
Cian nodded. "For now." He agreed. "I don't think that in all of my centuries that I have met someone like you, mortal or immortal." There was a silence between them. "Come with us Harry." The First Vampire said suddenly. "You don't have to become a vampire, but come with us. You sure as hell have earned it."  
  
"I'd love to Cian, but I can't. There are things here to take care of, not to mention a certain Dark Lord wanna-be."  
  
"Well, the offer still stands." Cian smiled. He climbed onto the windowsill, but turned back to the young man standing in the room. "You sure you won't come with us?"  
  
Harry just shook his head. "Cian, drop it."  
  
"Well, I had to try one last time, didn't I? Take care of yourself, Harry Potter." The golden-eyed vampire nodded his head respectfully and Harry returned it. When he looked up again the vampire was gone, no trace left of him except the open window.  
  
"Well, Hedwig, it seems that its back to being us two once again. No voices, no vampires and no secret identities." Hedwig hooted fondly and buried her head under her wing. Harry marked the page where he was in the book, put it away and went to bed. Soon everyone in Number 4, Privet Drive were sleeping.  
  
And one certain northern star named Polaris, twinkled brightly in the sky.  
  
-------------------------  
  
There, that's the end folks. Please review, think we can his the great 1000?  
  
Also people seem to have forgotten that the Saga starts IN THE SUMMER BEFORE HARRY'S SEVENTH AND LAST YEAR AT HOGWARTS.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Naia, Anora, Blue Phoenix2, Lady Phoenix Slytherin, WolfMoon, Zaeria, Korinna Myorin, SSSRoaB, CatatonicReaction, Twilight Dusk, The Dark Dragon Zeek, morgaine5, Erica, gaul1, Shadowed Chaos, Xyverz, athenakitty, WeasleyTwinsLover1112, Rachel A. Prongs, Dragon Tamer47, Dragonhope, Death's Shadow, Miranda Flairgold, Anneliese1, DaBear, Witchmaster, Arizosa, water drifter, neha and Illuca.  
  
'The Saga of the Red Dragons Order 4' will be out in a couple of days. 


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